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.

In this special editorial, Matt Taylor takes us on a journey through his process, sharing a few secrets from his research stage and right through to the end result. Available now as a limited edition screen printed poster, we hope you enjoy this behind the scenes – thank you Matt for sharing!

Matt Taylor: the making of Kiki’s Delivery Service movie poster for Spoke Art

Preparation

For any movie poster, the first step for me is watching the film. I’ll pop it on and watch with a notepad to hand, usually writing down notes and thoughts about the film, but also some small thumbnail sketches if an idea comes to mind as well as time codes for scenes that I feel might be worth revisiting.

For Kiki, my initial thought was that I wanted something to communicate with the poster was the hustle and bustle of the piece – Kiki working in the shop, making friends and growing as a person. Obviously, there’s no scene in the movie where everyone is in shot at the same time, so I thought I’d build one, with the key cast going about their day and Kiki off on one of her errands.

With animated movies, I feel like it’s really important to stay on model to the character designs and backgrounds so that it feels recognisable. Ghibli has such a strong aesthetic to its films, it would be mad not to try and capture that. When I made my Akira poster for Spoke Art back in 2022, I created the layout solely from collaged screenshots, which I could use as the guide for my drawing, and it felt like this was the right choice for this piece too.

Thankfully there’s a bounty of websites devoted to screenshots from movies, so I went through the film shot by shot and grabbed a whole bunch of images that featured poses or elements that stood out to me. Once I had them all, I created a new canvas in Photoshop and set to work.

Building from the blank canvas: the importance of typography

The first thing I wanted to nail down was the title treatment. With any movie poster I work on, type is always the starting point. At the end of the day, a poster is a tool for communication, and if you can’t see what the title of the movie is then you’re not making a good poster. 

I had an idea that I wanted something big and bold to run through the center of the image (I’ve been increasingly drawn towards large dynamic title treatments this year). I wanted to have most of the text in Japanese with just the title repeated in English. I hate working on a white canvas, so I threw the blue in there as a base color – mainly because it’s the color of the Ghibli title card and was fresh in my head. This turned out to be unexpectedly fortuitous because it unexpectedly presented the idea for a variant colorway, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

Experimenting with image placement

Once the type was locked in place, I started to place the screen grabbed images from the movie around the page. I found a nice unobscured view of the shop to serve as the centerpiece of the poster and then experimented with placing different elements around the page to see where they felt right. I’d like to say there’s some logic and mystery to this stage but it’s really just a case of moving things around until they feel ‘right’.

Linework

When I had enough of the key pieces in place to begin drawing, I started to put in fairly loose but detailed linework – there’s nothing worse than when you’re making a finished painting and you come across a section that you really didn’t think through at the sketch stage! Once this was done, I basically had my finished line sketch. 

Usually I would start throwing some color on, but when I took a step back I realised that the black line on blue looked just like a Ghibli title card and it was great! There was no way that it would be the regular colorway of the poster, but I sent it over as it was to gauge what Ken and John at Spoke Art thought about it. 

They liked it! And because we’ve been working together for more than ten years, they trusted me when I said ‘I’ll figure out the actual colors for it when I’m painting’ – for which I’m always grateful. Having that trust with a long running partnership really makes the whole process so much easier.

Making the final design

Once the sketch was signed off, it was just a case of making the final art. This piece was a little different because I wanted to match the visual style of the anime, which meant everything has a black outline around it – something I don’t always do. With a view on avoiding nasty surprises down the line, I drew the entire piece as an outline first – moving a few elements from the sketch and substituting a couple of characters as well.

Generally I draw each character in a separate group on Photoshop so I can move them around. I’ll usually draw a little extra of any characters that fall behind others, so I have some flexibility to move them around. Once the art is moving towards a finished state you see things that aren’t obvious at sketch – usually, lines meeting each other awkwardly, or areas of similar colors next to each other that make it hard to read – so having the ability to adjust without having to repaint it is super helpful. I try to make my art as modular as possible without it feeling too stiff or awkward.

Once the line art was complete, I moved to the coloring. Because each character was in their own group I could paint quite loosely – mixing up tones and textures without worrying about painting outside the lines. In terms of the actual painting, there’s no real explanation other than ‘I just painted it’. So much of it is intuitive by this point – moving textures around and constantly editing as new components are finished so that everything feels harmonious. I’ll usually just work on a piece until it feels ‘right’.

I set a rough palette of contrasting colors in the swatch menu so I could swap colors quickly when painting. Instead of using traditional grey values, I cheated slightly and used colors that are higher contrast. This way you can have an image that from a value point of view is almost the same tone, but your eye reads the contrast and the whole thing can remain really bright and vibrant. I think from a color-theory perspective it’s not the best way to work, but it’s where I’ve landed!

My defaults when I’m painting are blues, pinks and oranges, with maybe a pop of bright yellow. Oftentimes I’ll use adjustment layers to change the finished piece once I’m done, but in this case, it felt like I’d really captured the mood of the movie without simply aping the palette of the film.

Once the color is added it’s then just a case of looking at the whole piece and picking out any errors – usually, areas where the contrast between the foreground and background isn’t clear and making sure all the type is legible. I’ll often paint the amends on a single layer on top of the artwork because at this point everything below it is locked and it’s faster to add the last details to everything at once.

Because I spent a long time on the sketch making sure it was readable, there weren’t really that many edits to make; in spite of its relative complexity, it was a pretty straightforward piece to paint. Planning made it so much easier than other pieces that I’ve only had a very vague idea of what they would look like when they’re done…

And that’s about it!

Want to get your hands on a copy of this limited edition screen printed poster? The work is now available via Spoke Art’s online shop – but be quick, they are selling fast!

About Spoke Art

Matt Taylor is an artist and illustrator based in the UK. With a visual style that leans toward the figurative and dynamic, he has found himself working for a wide range of clients from Nike to the BBC. Over the past few years, he has created sought after movie posters, trading cards and comic book covers.

Matt’s clients include: Amazon Studios, Apatow Pictures, Apple, 20th Century Fox, BBC Worldwide, BOOM! Studios, DC Comcis, FIFA/Triad Berlin, The Guardian, GQ, JWT, Jack White, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, Mutant, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Pearl Jam, Penguin Books, Phish, Queens of the Stone Age, Spoke Art, Sony, Vertigo Comics, and The Washington Post.

About Spoke Art

Spoke Art is an exhibition space and curatorial venture specializing in new contemporary painting, sculpture and illustration. Started in 2010, the gallery puts on pop-up shows and participates in conventions and art fairs around the country. You can usually find us in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or Miami at least once a year. 

Matt Taylor Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram

Spoke Art Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram | X

The post Behind the scenes with Matt Taylor: the making of Kiki’s Delivery Service movie poster 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.

This new kind of art residency would see its artists leave as new creators, having overcome a myriad of inner blocks and fears to pave the way for a new dawn in creativity.

And importantly, it worked.

The art residency was Quarantine Event’s ‘Muse Hacking program’ on Lazaretto Island, a stunning private island in the heart of the Mediterranean. The event, which took place in April 2023, proved itself so popular that it was soon followed by their sequel artist residency, ‘Fire Walk With Me’.

The two events clearly transformed artists’ perceptions and behaviours; artists left deeply affected and positively changed by the week’s events.

With an open mind and heart, the Quarantine Events team have continued to learn and evolve the experiences in order to cultivate their next 1-week event, ‘INTERZONE’. “Every experiment thus far has taught us something new, leading us to continuously tweak the program.” Shares Carles Gomila. “Therefore, this fall 2024, we plan to intensify what has worked and rethink what can be improved.”

“At the “Fire Walk With Me” event, it was confirmed that artists are not looking for classrooms, but for a sort of rebirth. They want to renew and expand their creative vision.

And that is the essence of the program: to be a place for transition where artists seek to revive and deepen themselves.”

Carles Gomila, Founder

Introducing ‘INTERZONE’: October 14 to 20, 2024

From the very start, Quarantine Events’ role has been to bridge two crucial stages of an artist’s life: education and the professional world. ‘INTERZONE’ encompasses this, meticulously designed to be a key space where one can reinvent themself and venture into the unknown with their art. The Quarantine team are hugely excited for October’s event:

“This concept is at the heart of what we do. Interzone came into being because we recognized that Quarantine is a bridge between learning and professional practice. We drew inspiration from William Burroughs’ notion of “Interzone” to capture the idea of being between two worlds: that limbo where the art student transitions into an artist. That transition is the interzone.”

The themes of chaos and rituals remain their fundamental tools, but their interpretation of these elements and their roles continue to evolve. At each event, these concepts are refined to enrich the participants’ experience.

Rather than fearing what chaos represents, the Quarantine Events team have learned to utilize it as a creative resource. It is a reminder that the “rules” of art are merely suggestions – that any method can be valid, opening the doors to expressive freedom. This concept is at the heart of their Art Lab experience. “Chaos serves as a compass towards the unexplored, a call to break away from the established norms in art education, while rituals are the emotional backbone of our journey. They provide a space for introspection, an emotional connection between the creator and their work.”

For ‘INTERZONE’, each challenge devised has been designed as a rite of passage. Carles nods: “[each challenge] is a threshold that, once crossed, leaves indelible marks of maturity and understanding on the creative process, technique, and visual storytelling.”

So, what exactly is wrong with traditional art practices anyway?

“Tradition”: (n) Peer pressure instilled by the no-longer living.

Quarantine Events Handbook

In short, Quarantine Events believe that doing things for the sake of “tradition” can form limitations around further creative evolution. The steppingstone of traditionally taught practices can become a safety blanket, and then even a prison, to progression.

The upcoming ‘INTERZONE’ residency aims to transform your decision-making process while unlearning the ideas that limit you as an artist. Mentors will break all formal mindsets acquired thus far, and teach you how to accept crisis and questioning as necessary ingredients for true learning.

‘INTERZONE’ will be intense, but beautiful: a time for transformation.

Hard work is expected (and necessary), but you can also expect to enjoy a host of very good vibes. While the full-on, 12-hour day timetables includes Art Labs, talks, private mentoring, and masterclasses, you will also have time to process and get to know your fellow artists, as well as reconnecting with your inner self.

Set within the beautiful cocoon of Lazaretto Island and isolated from everyday noises and stresses, you will be given the tools and support to help yourself transform. Just like the caterpillar breaks itself down to re-emerge as a butterfly, so too can you reform your creative mind.

Quarantine Events art residency overview

As part of the ongoing evolution of the residency experience, ‘INTERZONE’ moves the experiment forward once again. Six legendary artists: Gary Baseman, Phil Hale, Eloy Morales, Edward Povey, Yuko Shimizu and Henrik Uldalen, plus gallerists Ken Harman Hashimoto and Jennifer Rizzo, will help run the ‘INTERZONE’ art experiment as its venerable mentors.

Interestingly, mentorships will remain as they have been. “We’ve observed that working closely with mentors, one-on-one and face-to-face is far more effective than group workshops, where their transformative potential grows diluted.” Explains Carles. “These direct and personal moments make a significant difference, and we will continue with the highly counterintuitive decision to remove guest artists from the labs. Hence one of our borrowed mottos: “Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!”.

Excitingly however, Quarantine Events’ Art Lab will see significant changes from previous iterations. New concepts will be introduced, and challenges set will be even tougher while being technically less restrictive. As Carles explains: “We aim for each challenge not just to be another step in the participants’ artistic development, but also a leap forward in how they view their own art, art in general, and themselves.”

To summarise, you can expect:

The Rules:

Rule #1: Phones are prohibited – what happens on the island stays on the island.

Rule #2: Admission is curated – with the high level of personal discipline needed, Quarantine Events want to ensure nobody signs up by mistake. This is why they have created an individualized participant selection process to ensure the most committed people take part.

Rule #3: The program is a secret – Quarantine is an adventure, and the challenges will remain secret to help you take full advantage of their benefits. Expect the unexpected.

The requirements:

This artist residency requires a high level of personal commitment and won’t be for everyone. But if you are prepared to question your pre-set beliefs and academic principles, and put in the long hours, Quarantine Events’ Interzone may be the perfect experience to take you to the next level.

Still unsure about applying?

With the unconventional design behind Quarantine Events’ artist residencies, wrapped in a haze of mystery as to the specifics of the program, it is understandable if you are somewhat hesitant to apply. But if intrigue is keeping you reading, or you long for an experience to shake up your creative universe, Carles and his team encourage you to take a leap into the unknown.

By focusing on emotional, not academic structure, Quarantine Events’ residencies encourage true un-learning of negative practices and creating the room for truly personal creative growth. This powerful transformation can open up residents to the vulnerability that comes with letting go of who they were to become something new. But this isn’t something to fear: the team are here to support residents through this process.

Here, vulnerability isn’t seen as a weakness but as a tool for artistic empowerment.

“To help navigate this transformative journey, we provide personalized guidance and cultivate a strong sense of community. The core of our program is this continuous support and the creation of a united community. Participants find in their peers a support system, forming a sort of extended family that naturally emerges under the powerful influence of the Quarantine Island.”

We’re amazed to observe that as we increase the intensity and challenges of the program, the group becomes more cohesive and each individual stronger. It’s clear: the more demanding the program, the less we need to intervene, as the group naturally supports itself.

The secret to getting students to stop acting like students is to avoid treating them like students, but instead as true artists.

The program is overseen by psychologists, and they additionally have coaches and an art therapy specialist to provide comprehensive support. The focus is always on human and empathetic treatment. “This is why we carefully select our participants,” Carles explains, “ensuring they are here for the right reasons and not just out of admiration for the guest artists.”

Excited? We hope so! It is highly recommended, however, that you read the full Quarantine Handbook to learn fully about Interzone before applying.

Application deadline: 30 May 2024. For more information and to apply, click here.

Quarantine Social Media Accounts + additional blogs

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

The post Quarantine Events unveil a new (and experimental) artist residency: INTERZONE appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Humans have held ownership over this domain for millennia but now a new entity is on the rise in our beloved industry, artificial intelligence (AI). The concept of artificial intelligence is a centuries old concept dating back to the Greeks with their fantastical ideas of artificial constructs. However, in 2024 AI is all too real and is making waves in the art industry as hopeful visions of the past have suddenly become a terrifying reality.

Visual artist and metal musician Farzad Golpayegani, best known for his epic guitar playing skills and works of surrealism, is unafraid to tackle the controversial topic of AI and how it could, should and does interact with the art world. In an interview with him, he shares his thoughts on the topic as a creative in the field.

Many argue there’s no place for AI within art. Using the words AI and art in the same sentence concocts images of evil machines gobbling up stolen artwork. Farzad Golpayegani however, doesn’t see AI as a strictly black or white. Instead it is more of a grey area arguing that “like many inventions, a new discovery can have drawbacks initially.

Take Marie Curie’s discovery of radium, for example. Initially celebrated for its glowing green colour, radium-based jewellry became popular, unaware of its cancer-causing properties. Before its life-saving potential was realized, radium proved deadly, even claiming Curie’s life. Similarly, AI undergoes a trial-and-error process. Despite impressive advancements, misuse is prevalent. This learning curve is necessary to harness its potential effectively.” So, while the evil machines play their sinister roles in the AI discourse, the topic is more nuanced and is a place for reflection and potentially even innovation.

I don’t think AI will end mankind’s creative journey but rather function as an art expert. Our best approach is to continue creating our best, regardless of AI competition.

When considering the current climate of the art world, Farzad insists that AI “should be kept entirely separate from current art forms.” Currently, many AI generators are trained using stolen work from artists who often have no knowledge their work is being used in such a way. “Using someone’s work and art without consent is absolutely unacceptable; nobody wants their work or identity stolen” states Farzad. “In general, I don’t oppose AI, but I firmly disagree with claiming AI-generated work as one’s own creation.

For instance, incorporating AI-generated illustrations into graphic design is logical, but presenting them as standalone artwork isn’t.” As a graphic designer and art director, Farzad has created work based on instructions provided by clients and supervisors without drawing from his own artistic styles and preferences. “Claiming AI-generated art as personal creation is akin to clients or supervisors asserting authorship over work I produced for them. It doesn’t align logically, and I see no distinction.”

Like many, Farzad has been personally affected by AI. The website Have I Been Trained? by art collective Spawning detects whether artwork has been used to train various AI generators. This website shows his work has been used to train AI without his knowledge or consent. When asking whether he was aware of this he replied, “I’m not surprised. To be honest, I might be upset if I learned that I was ignored by AI!” “I don’t worry if my work is analysed by AI, actually. My only concern is the abuse of that information. This is an important aspect of art in the future, and I want to be a part of it, without my work being misrepresented.”

Farzad has been on the receiving end of being deceived by AI. “I consider myself having a good eye spotting Al art.” His good eye was called into question upon discovering an artist with incredible style and talent.

“I began following him on social media and noticed he posted too frequently, considering the complicity and detail of his artworks. Upon further investigation, I discovered he was using AI to generate pieces in his style, resulting in even more refined works. He then transfers these digital creations onto canvas and painted them in oils. It seemed he had replaced the roles between a digital artist and a printer! As someone who creates digital art and prints them on canvas, I found this reversal disappointing. It’s an example of a situation that makes you question everything!”

This discovery led to a major shift in his opinion of the artist as he describes “I stopped following him, and his work lost its value in my eyes entirely. I have always opposed the artistic value of duplicating a photograph onto canvas or paper, just painting or drawing an existing image using oil, acrylic, etc. It is definitely a skill set, but it is not artistic and creative, no matter how realistic it may look. Painting an image that is already generated by AI follows the same rule in my mind. To remain in control and progress, an artist shouldn’t lower his or her value to that level.”

Claiming AI-generated art as personal creation is akin to clients or supervisors asserting authorship over work I produced for them. It doesn’t align logically, and I see no distinction.

However, AI isn’t all doom and gloom from Farzad’s perspective. His job as an art director has allowed him access to AI as a supportive tool using it in processes such as upscaling images and editing to enable a streamlined workflow. The ideology of using AI as a supportive tool, similarly to how one uses a paint brush, adds an interesting perspective on the topic for future reference.

From his perspective, each advancement in technological improvement from artists, no matter how big or small, have helped us shape art history and our current present. The idea of blocking technological advancements isn’t smart progress. “Whether we like it or not, this is the future of the art world and we should find innovative ways to be a part of it rather than isolating ourselves. The problem isn’t AI accessing the human art history database; what’s worrying is the potential abuse of its achievements, mostly caused by humans.”

Of course, for AI to work in this capacity, “clear and strict regulations are surely necessary.” It could only really work on a case by case basis in which transparency and honesty would be key components. For example, if a photographer were to use AI tools to remove/edit unwanted elements in a photograph, would that be alright? Well, it’s complicated. “It’s unacceptable for photographers to remove objects from their photos if they submit them to competitions or publish them as news journalists.

However, they can manipulate images using AI within its category.” Another example could be using AI generators with ethically sourced and artist approved images which has its own nuanced issues as he explains “the person using AI isn’t the artist anymore and shouldn’t claim the rights to the generated image. Simply put, the AI image prompter isn’t an artist but more of a client, and the AI generator is the intelligence behind the creation. This distinction should be made clear when sharing the image publicly.

In summary, I don’t see any issue with the AI generator when using licensed images, but the problem arises when roles and guidelines aren’t understood. Misusing this tool can be disastrous, regardless of whether the source is licensed or not.”

Farzad also suggests AI as a potential promotional tool for artists. Social media algorithms are often unforgiving and artists can get lost within a sea of content. “Creating beautiful, innovative, and meaningful art is one thing, and being able to promote it and have it seen is another” he explains. “One might excel at one aspect and struggle with the other.

We often encounter artists when they gain exposure, not necessarily when they achieve a high level of skill or creativity. Many factors influence the attention an artist receives, unrelated to the art itself. This process could be improved and perhaps balanced with the help of AI technology, ensuring artists are noticed not just because they garner more likes on social media or work with a specific representative. I would appreciate seeing more of that.”

While hopes of a fruitful future is always a beneficial mindset to have, it is how we proceed from here that will truly make or break the industry when regarding the integration of AI technology. For Farzad, education and new regulations are our most vital resources for tackling the issues and ethics of AI. “Similar to the Hollywood writers’ strike, new standards may need to be established to address issues like art theft and AI participation” especially with art contests and exhibitions.

“While we may not be able to stop its advancement entirely, we can inform ourselves and others about its implications. Rather than banning its usage all together, understanding and embracing its potential can lead to better outcomes. Both artists and audiences should question the authenticity of AI-generated artwork and develop a deeper appreciation for genuine creativity. This way, AI art can be evaluated on its own merits within the artistic landscape.”

The problem isn’t AI accessing the human art history database; what’s worrying is the potential abuse of its achievements, mostly caused by humans. Clear and strict regulations are surely necessary.

When concluding this discussion with Farzad, I brought up the fact that many of us feel despondent when concerning the subject of AI. Dread fills our minds as we question everything that we hold dear in art. Should we just give up? Will this thing take out jobs? What do we do?! But for Farzad, things aren’t so bleak choosing to believe that centuries long tradition of humans making and sharing their art isn’t going to die out any time soon.

We should never give up on pursuing art and should instead “remain active and keep creating our best no matter what. There was a time in art history when the camera and photography had a similar impact on the art scene. Instead of spending hours, days, or months preserving a moment by painting it, it became a matter of seconds to do so.

Of course, it was a difficult experience for those who made a living by painting portraits, but can you imagine the art world without photography, cinematography, and the rest of the progress? We should remain positive and be flexible and creative in order to let the new art forms develop and bloom. It won’t be a smooth process, but it will definitely be worth it. This opens doors in a way we have never experienced in our lifetimes.”

Farzad Golpayegani Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | X | Facebook | Spotify

The post Farzad Golpayegani on the Ethics and Impact of AI appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Farzad Golpayegani was born in Tehran, Iran and now currently resides in the USA. As the son of graphic designer and painter Behzad Golpayegani, Farzad is following in his father’s footsteps as a visual artist who revels in the styles of surrealism and expressionism. During his high school years Farzad began learning graphic design and painting and graduated with a degree in Graphic Design. While his late father inspired his painterly side, his love of music came from his older brother who introduced him to rock and metal music. In 1994, Farzad bought his first guitar with the goal of taking music more seriously.

Farzad works in both fields of music and art and has composed music for advertisements, animation, short films and video games. His personal art projects combine his skills as a musician and painter to create a unique visual and listening experience. His musical style mixes progressive metal with eastern, Persian and classical music using his 7-string electric guitar and acoustic guitar played in eastern tuning. Farzad currently has nine albums all of which he has been the driving force in as he composes, plays, records, mixes and masters his songs and creates the album covers which accompany the records. He performs much of his music live as both solo performances and with his band “Farzad G Band”.

I hope that my work serves as an inspiration. Witnessing the enhancement of different art forms is truly exciting.

Interview with Farzad Golpayegani

In your own words, how would you describe the art that you make?

My art is primarily rooted in surrealism, yet I’ve always explored my unique approach within this style. I reshape human anatomy, portraits, objects, and nature in my art to convey my messages. Additionally, I incorporate Middle Eastern forms and elements into my compositions, adding a personal touch to my work. Regarding subject matter, I go very deep into emotions, symbolism, and feelings, while in terms of aesthetics and technique, I tend to maintain a realistic appearance.

Who are some of your biggest influences both as a musician and a visual artist?

As a musician, my influences have been very diverse. That is probably how I got into combining different styles into fusion and progressive rock and metal. I initially got into playing music through exposure to hard rock, and metal, but I always have been fascinated by anything that moves me, like classical, jazz, fusion, and folklore.

As a visual artist, I admire Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, alongside more contemporary artists such as Bacon, Jacometti, Picasso, Pollock, Giger, and Beksinski.

Your older brother helped spark your love for music, what kind of music were you first introduced to through his influence?

Initially, I was introduced to the world of hard rock, which gradually led me into heavier metal genres. My early exposure to this music at young age played a significant role in shaping my musical journey. By the time I started playing the guitar at the age of fifteen, I had already immersed myself in rock music for several years, which greatly expedited my learning process and eventually enabled me to start teaching guitar after just one year of playing.

Has your father’s work inspired and influenced you as an artist?

Certainly. While I never had the opportunity to learn directly from my father due to his hospitalization when I was only two years old and his passing when I was seven, growing up in an environment with his artworks and creations in every corner greatly contributed to shaping my artistic vision.

Do you approach working on a new visual piece the same as you would approach a new song or album? Or is it a different process entirely?

There are similarities between the two creative processes. Both demand extensive study, practice, experimentation, and moments of inspiration. I either experiment with guitar riffs and jams or sketch and conceptualize ideas in my sketchbook when I’m in the early stages of creating music or visual artwork. These initial phases are crucial for finding the direction I want to take and developing my ideas into finished pieces, whether they be musical compositions or visual artworks.

Your paintings have an alien-like, ethereal quality to them, what are your thoughts on this interpretation?

You pointed that out accurately. While it is not my goal to give my work with an alien-like appearance, my approach involves simplifying figures and utilizing human body proportions to convey concepts and emotions. I generally leave the interpretation of my work to the audience, but personally, I don’t try to create artwork that appears merely scary or unsettling. I aim to convey my message through the figures I create, allowing them to differ from standard appearances and proportions. In other words, my priority is the depth of my artwork rather than its surface aesthetics.

As someone who loves both visual art and music, I feel like we don’t see many artists who intertwine these two artforms together even though they go hand in hand. For example, album artwork is often made by someone separate from the musicians who make the music. Do you hope your work will encourage others to experiment more with visual art, music, and other art forms?

I really do. I hope that my work serves as an inspiration. Witnessing the enhancement of different art forms is truly exciting. While there are animators and video artists who have explored similar ideas, there are countless possibilities and avenues to explore. It’s worth noting that established actors performing music on large stages or talented musicians exhibiting amateur paintings in prestigious art galleries, while admirable, do not align with my vision. I hope to see younger generations and emerging artists naturally explore this interdisciplinary path and watch it flourish organically.

While I was not optimistic about witnessing major change [in Iran for] the foreseeable future, the Iranian uprising of the previous year marked a significant turning point. The younger generation fought vigorously for their rights in unprecedented ways, and now, amid all the adversity faced by Iran, there is newfound hope that has been absent for decades. I am optimistic that this hope will eventually translate into tangible change.

What kind of music do you like to play whilst working on your art? Do you play your own music or do you listen to other artists?

I often listen to others while working on my art. However, it depends on the project at hand. For my recent painting collections, I created paintings for each track on my latest music albums, with each artwork sharing a title with its corresponding song. During the conceptualization phase of these paintings, I listen to the specific song associated with the artwork to help me generate ideas. Once I’ve determined my creative direction and I am in the execution phase, I may also listen to music by other artists.

Your birth place isn’t accepting of the music you make, do you think we’ll see changes/progress for this any time soon?

Yes, unfortunately, the regime in my birthplace, Iran, has not been welcoming to the type of music I create. This was a primary reason for my relocation many years ago. While I was not optimistic about witnessing major change in the foreseeable future, the Iranian uprising of the previous year marked a significant turning point. The younger generation fought vigorously for their rights in unprecedented ways, and now, amid all the adversity faced by Iran, there is newfound hope that has been absent for decades. I am optimistic that this hope will eventually translate into tangible change.

What has been the most important lesson you have learned as a musician and visual artist?

The most crucial lesson I’ve learned is not to let the amount of recognition, whether positive or negative, define the value of my work. Feedback is invaluable, but even in situations where my work may not receive the exposure I believe it deserves, I remain passionate about what I do. I find happiness in doing work I love and finishing it, rather than looking for approval from others.

Who have you been listening to lately? Any good music recommendations for us to check out?

Apart from my usual list of progressive, technical, and death metal music, I have been listening to classical music lately. Composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff to name a few. It has helped me to stay focus while working on the artwork I’m working on currently.

We always love to hear about where artists make their magic! Can you tell our readers a bit about your art and music studio spaces?

My home studio, which I’ve designated in my bedroom, is of average size but highly efficient. I tend to maintain a minimalist approach, particularly since my music recording and post-production processes are primarily digital, skipping the need for large guitar amps. Additionally, I have been working in the digital format for my paintings for the past eight years, as a result these methods help me to get the best of my space, and not require a lot of equipment.

What’s next for you? Any exciting projects that you can tell our readers about?

I am currently creating a painting collection inspired by my latest music album, titled ‘Nine’. This collection represents some of the finest digital work I have produced thus far. Simultaneously, I am dedicating time to rehearsals for my next musical release. I’m juggling these projects while working my full-time job, so things might take a bit of time, but I’m steadily moving forward.

Farzad Golpayegani Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | X | Facebook | Spotify

The post Farzad Golpayegani: The Space Between Music and Art appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

WOW is the world’s leading wearable art competition, inviting designers and creators from around the globe to challenge the conventional, create the unimaginable, defy creative expectations and enchant the world with an extraordinary garment.

Held in Te Whanganui-a-Tara in Wellington, New Zealand, finalists’ works of art have been coming to life in the spectacular annual WOW show for over 35 years. Attracting audiences of around 60,000 people, the designers often share a common value – the desire to push the limits of imagination and medium.

To see their vision come to life on stage through world class performance at the World of Wearableart Show is incredibly rewarding and often emotional for WOW designers. The creative team and models pour immense passion and care into understanding the garments, their inspiration, and stories.

WOW was born from the idea of taking art off the wall and onto the moving body, and we see that year after year in the entries – both in terms of the visually striking and the important storytelling. We can’t wait to see what comes through for 2024.

Sarah Nathan, WOW Head of Competition

Why enter?

As well as a total prize pool of over $185,000 (NZD), the World of Wearableart Competition offers the chance to access a Designer Development Award for future artistic growth, or an exclusive internship with global design company, Wētā Workshop (Wellington, New Zealand).

WOW also provides wearable art creatives and designers a platform to experiment with new
techniques and technologies and build on professional portfolios of creative work.

When entering, designers become part of an international design community like no other and have the opportunity to have their work exhibited alongside other incredible designers and artists from around the world, to an emphatic audience of around 60,000 wearable art fans.

World of Wearableart is a unique competition and platform to showcase your creativity, while also connecting with hundreds of other like-minded individuals.

“We’ve just finished hosting more than 100 finalists from all over the world for the 2023 WOW Awards and we had such incredible feedback about their time here, connecting with like-minds who share their passion for wearable art and creativity.” explains Sarah Nathan, WOW Head of Competition.

The Competition is internationally renowned, and each year attracts entries from more than 40 countries. Whether you’re entering to design free from commercial restraints, to add to your student portfolio, or to push the limits of your imagination, the WOW Awards Competition offers a truly unique creative outlet. 

Six different worlds to consider

To inspire designers when entering, there are six section themes or ‘worlds’ to consider. This
includes three recurring sections: Aotearoa, Avant-garde and Open, and three new sections:
Natural World, Geometric Abstraction, and Crazy Curiosities of the Creature Carnival that are unique to 2024.

For more details on each of the themes, click here.

Fundamental to the WOW Competition is the principle that anyone can enter, and anyone can win.

While entrees must be 18 or over, there are very little other limitations in regards to who can enter. Competition finalists are determined through a closed-judging process where the judges are presented with the garment name and inspiration; however, the designer’s details and background experience are not disclosed, allowing the work to be considered solely on its own merit.

Anything that is wearable art can find a place on the stage, as long as it is original, innovative, and beautifully made. 

Read the full list of competition rules here.

How to enter

It is strongly recommended that creatives check out all of the information over on the World of WearableArt website and take note of the key dates available.

Interested designers can then begin their World of WearableArt journey right now by creating a WOW designer profile.

Deadlines: the international design community have until 1 March 2024 and New Zealand designers have until 1 May 2024 to complete their garments and online submission.

Be part of the World of WearableArt!

When you enter the WOW competition, you become part of an international design community like no other. You have the opportunity to have your work exhibited alongside other incredible designers and artists from around the world! 

With the 2024 World of WearableArt Competition calling for creatives, we can’t wait to see who enters for the 2024 event.

World of WearableArt Social Media Accounts

Website | WOW Designer Profile | Instagram | Facebook

The post Entries Open for the 2024 World of WearableArt Competition appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

“Fire Walk With Me” by Quarantine Events is a challenging programme that ignites your inner flame. Instead of teaching lessons, we aim to transform your artistic vision. Get ready for an intense, transformative journey.

Have you ever felt that learning techniques and practicing your art just isn’t enough? You can wrack up the hours honing your skills, find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places, and push yourself in new and imaginative ways – but still, something is missing. Perhaps that something is internal, as if your creative spark or your artistic soul needs an all-important boost…

If this resonates, then you are just where you should be, reading this article right here, right now. There is a new kind of mentoring programme taking place this October, and you could be the perfect candidate to join and have your artistic vision transformed. Welcome to “Fire Walk With Me”.

“Fire Walk With Me” mentoring programme

A 7-day, out-of-the-box art development programme covering three private mentoring sessions, access to their Art Lab, art talks and masterclasses with all guest artists every day. No mobile phones allowed!

Quarantine dates: from October 16^th to October 22^nd, 2023
Quarantine days: 7 days. 12h per day
Private mentoring sessions: 3 x 40 min.
Art Lab: 6 hours a day
Location: Lazaretto Island, Maó, Menorca (Spain)

Language: English

Technical requirements: basic painting and drawing skills

Application type: jury selection based on a questionnaire

The upcoming “Fire Walk With Me” mentoring programme has been developed after Quarantine Events’ highly successful debut programme, their “Muse Hacking” residency, which took place earlier this year. Subsequently, “Fire Walk With Me” is the next step in the evolution of Quarantine’s vision. Observation and feedback from the April 2023 “Muse Hacking” event has allowed the team to further hone the practices which aim to shake up how artists can learn, grow, and transform, ensuring an even more effective and avant-garde programme.

The ultimate goal of “Fire Walk With Me” is to transform your decision-making process, while unlearning the ideas that limit you as an artist. As described on Quarantine Events’ website: “You will face and make peace with your inner demons, freeing yourself from the fears that hinder your creativity. You’ll ignite the desire for inspiration and creative liberation through the flame of creativity. Lastly, you will experience a transformative journey alongside a community of artists who support and challenge each other to grow.”

Fire Walk with Me: inspiring the essence that art often springs from vulnerability.

With the motto of ‘Vulnus Opem Feret,’ a Latin expression meaning ‘The wound will help’, Quarantine Events aims to bring awareness to the essence that art often springs from vulnerability. “Suffering and adversity can inspire profound creativity.” Explains Carles Gomila, founder and organiser of Quarantine Events. “It’s not our perfections but our imperfections and our ability to transform them into art that makes us artists.”

Consequently, Carles and his team kept in mind the following when choosing this events mentors:

Vulnerability: “Beyond their excellence, we value their vulnerability – their ability to transmute wounds into art, emerging not just renewed but strengthened. At our previous event, the no-mobile-phone policy created a safe space. It allowed mentors to openly share heart-touching experiences and insights they might never have shared otherwise. This environment fosters powerful moments in our masterclasses.”

Empathy: “While many artists we bring on board don’t usually teach workshops, we prioritize their communication skills and teaching potential. We seek firsthand accounts to ensure they can genuinely connect with participants, recognizing that art is more than just a set of technical steps.”

Financial Considerations: “We’re mindful of budget constraints. Some artists, as much as we’d love to have them, are beyond our financial reach, as we aim to keep our event affordable. Those who join us understand the financial limitations. They choose to be here, not for the pay check, but to genuinely help and support other artists, resonating with Quarantine’s philosophy.”

So, who are the Fire Walk with Me mentors?

Kirsten Anderson

Lita Cabellut

Vincent Desiderio

Ryan Heshka

Miles Johnston

Guillermo Lorca

Martin Wittfooth

Each artist mentor will be hosting their own unique experience (more on that below). Therefore, artists applying must choose their preferred mentors as part of the entry process. Applicants will be reviewed by the relevant mentors, and the most committed artists, not the most polished artists, will be selected to take part. To learn more about how Quarantine select the participants, check out the FAQ.

We select the most committed artists, not the most polished. We don’t care how good you are, how much success you’ve had, or even how many followers you have. What matters is what lights you up from the inside, and that you’re eager to learn and meet other lovers of Art.  

Carles Gomila, founder and organiser of Quarantine Events

Who is Quarantine Events mentoring programme for?

If you are interested and willing to put in the work, Quarantine Events and its seven highly skilled mentors can give you experiences and practices which can become integral tools in your creative kit. However, be warned: the road to true transformation is not an easy one.

“Fire Walk With Me” is for you if:

• You’re committed to refining your creative process and conveying emotions more freely and honestly.
• You want to break free from fears and toxic influences and develop your unique, authentic, and distinctive inner flame.
• You’re ready to challenge conventions, question your artistic upbringing, and explore new creative approaches.

“Fire Walk With Me” is NOT for you if:

• You’re simply looking for a chill art retreat to enjoy some painting during your vacation.
• You’re not willing to examine your creative process or exchange ideas with artists from different perspectives.
• You prefer a conventional workshop with step-by-step techniques, focused on imitating the style of an artist you admire.

Don’t miss out – places are going fast!

A shift towards more private mentorships

To ensure the most beneficial programme possible, Quarantine Events have included more private mentorships within the October event. The upcoming programme will ensure artists can expand their knowledge through bespoke 1-2-1 sessions. Through a series of three intense 40-minute sessions, private mentorships will offer an intimate space where mentors focus on helping artists overcome obstacles and transform their work. Significantly, each mentorship will take place with a different mentor, ensuring access to a broad range of learning and advice.

Private mentoring can help you face your inner demons and turn them into powerful artistic expressions. Often, you might fear confronting dark emotions or a lack of originality and recognition. Mentors show you how to embrace and explore these fears, liberating and amplifying your creative potential.

Mentoring isn’t for you if you’re not ready to delve into your emotions, confront your creative fears or even your darker side, preferring a more pragmatic approach to artistic development.

“Venturing into emotionally challenging territory can be tough, but it leads to authentic art that reflects the artist’s soul.” Explains Carles. “Mentoring guides you through this journey of potent self-exploration and artistic growth. Ultimately, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of yourself, becoming a more authentic artist connected with your own inner truth.”

The upcoming October programme is a “leap of faith” for Carles, and he is looking forward to the results. “I genuinely believe it’s one of the finest we’ve curated,” he shares. Fire Walk with Me reflects seven years of experience working with numerous “top-tier artists”, and he is confident that the creative challenges set in the Art Lab are some of the best work that they have done to date.

“I’m confident the [Art Labs and entire experience] will deeply impact attendees. However, it’s disheartening when many applicants just want to be close to their favourite artist, hoping for a magic recipe to mimic their style. That’s not what Quarantine is about. So, I’m caught between the pride of curating an event with transformative potential and the sobering realization that many artists, perhaps out of fear or comfort, are not truly ready to embrace their own voice and create with full freedom.”

About Quarantine

Quarantine, formerly known as Menorca Pulsar, will make sure that you’ll only breathe good vibes during your stay at Lazaretto. Starting in 2016, the creators (then Menorca Pulsar) organized art retreats. Artists from all over the world came to work and live together in camaraderie. Then, as they so often do, plans changed… Art retreats no longer felt “right”. Now they aim for a more intense experience.

The new retreats are now called “Quarantine”, and these events aren’t for everyone. Quarantine is not just another formula for filling seats and milking money. They are here to enjoy the experience WITH you, not AT you. They believe in core principles and ethical values like peace, love, respect, freedom, harmony and diversity, but also hedonism.

Interested in learning more? We highly suggest that you download the full programme here to learn more about the event and its mentors. Alternatively, head the Quarantine Events’ website in the link below.

Quarantine Social Media Account

Website | Instagram | Telegram

The post “Fire Walk With Me”: The mentoring programme by Quarantine Events to transform your artistic vision appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Here, we dive into the origins of Quarantine Events and their debut event: the Muse Hacking Program.

Quarantine Events: a new beginning

It began with the simple discovery of Lazaretto Island, “a magical, undiscovered gem not yet open to the public” describes Carles Gomila, the founder and organiser of Quarantine Events. “That’s when I started Menorca Pulsar, an art retreat with an international reputation for holding painting workshops. Despite our success, I noticed many of our clients were more interested in copying their favorite artist’s style rather than exploring their own creativity.”

Creativity doesn’t replicate – it innovates, it creates. So, I began designing more disruptive programs, distancing from artistic tourism.

Carles Gomila, the founder and organiser of Quarantine Events

“Being a lucid dream practitioner, I draw inspiration from the dream world – what happens in my head when I’m not overthinking. Over four years, I had three dreams about an “art society” and Lazaretto, which led me to create the Quarantine project: a kind of Tortuga Island for artists, fostering camaraderie and self-discovery while repelling the art tourist. Quarantine aimed to question the artistic process and transform our way of creating. I was eager to share this excitement with artists from all over the world, building a haven where progress could be made without judgment or competition.”

Despite the initial lack of support, Carles’ persistence finally paid off. Postponed due to the global quarantine of COVID-19, the 2020 event finally took place in April 2023.

They told me Quarantine was impossible, improbable. But hey, it worked. Six mentors guiding a hundred artists on a double island… it was worth the gamble. Like a painting, art always finds its way. A week later, the whole experience feels like it belongs in the dream world; a dream I definitely want to return to. Now, this dream also belongs to 100 other artists.

Carles Gomila, the founder and organiser of Quarantine Events

A Program Built on Emotional, not Academic, Structure

Aware of Quarantine Event’s focus on emotion as a pillar over academic learning, another key factor was the secrecy shrouded over the program details itself. Applicants for the Muse Hacking program were only given a guide on what to expect, and this guide focused primarily on overarching concepts and forewarnings of shake-ups. This certainly leaned into their focus on “chaos” and cemented the foundation that artists applying must trust the process.

Trust, conviction, and chaos: a concoction made especially for those who are seeking guidance outside of the box. I was interested to learn more about how chaos became the glue within Quarantine’s design process. Carles smiles:

“We infuse doses of chaos into [Quarantine Events] by introducing randomness into the program’s execution to encourage organic emergence of unforeseen situations and “happy accidents” – it’s like painting an artwork. We even have people whose job is to create bits of chaos and improvisation, shaking up rigid, predictable structures. This doesn’t just add dynamism to the event but challenges us as an organization. We want to take the lead in showing open-mindedness.”

Jeremy Mann was one of April’s specially selected mentors. Months later, the effect of the experience is still deeply imprinted: “We wanted to inspire the attendees to blaze their own trail with determination and understanding, and I’m pretty sure we lit quite a fire under all their butts, even my own!” he grins. “That’s the great thing about the Quarantine event; even I myself got a face smack of inspiration from the attendees and mentors alike!”

The open-hearted honesty is what is necessary, it humbles and rebuilds our own lives much like creating any work of art. For that you need to be safe, and there was no better place for artistic heartfelt safety than isolated on an island without the constant mental disruptions of the outside world.

Jeremy Mann, Muse Hacking Program mentor, Quarantine Events

Carles’ aim in keeping the program secret beforehand was to enable a spontaneous creative response to facilitate each artists’ growth. “Here’s the twist,” he explains, “Quarantine challenges the toxic thinking of expecting solutions in exchange for money, instead of effort. Inspired by the stoics, participants accept that longing for the right problems is the solution. We didn’t want this project to look like another damn school with pre-set steps to reach applause-worthy, measurable goals.”

Unequivocally, the project was not.

The Muse Hacking program

The Muse Hacking program was an intense and challenging week for the Quarantine Events team and its artists. Participants worked for more than 12 hours a day, facing challenges, questions, masterclasses, and private mentorships. (For those interested in learning more about the details of this event and the mentoring structure, click here.)

The aim of this program was to transform participants. “And it happened!” Carles shares, “But more profoundly than expected. It impacted not only the participants but also the mentoring artists and even the organizers. Even one of our artistic models began questioning his profession and life approach.”

The experience of Quarantine was one of a kind, truly special. The depth of thought and sincerity of heart Carles and his amazing team put into it was evident in every detail of the event: how it looked, its schedule, but most importantly – how it felt.

Nadezda, Muse Hacking Program mentor, Quarantine Events

Nadezda was one of the mentors for April’s edition, who taught a workshop together with Jeremy Mann. Interestingly, they were as blown away with the location itself, which proved to be the perfect spot for Quarantine Event’s vision:

“Lazaretto Island, where the workshop took place, is a private green sun-bathed island with old ancient buildings, which used to be a sailors isolation hospital a few hundred years ago.” Shares Nadezda. “Most of the structures are intact and well maintained – that’s where our workshops took place. Every instructor had a room big enough to work together with a group of eighteen artists, who came to the event from all four corners of the globe. The main building acted as the master class and lecture point, as well as a coffee fuel station, where we also met all happy and exhausted for an evening session of discussions.

“On the island one could find plenty of poetic peaceful outdoor places when looking for a place to sit alone and think, write, paint, meditate or simply enjoy the sounds of nature in-between intense classes. From the top of the water tower one can see the whole compound with its solitary corners, strange, dreamy passages and points of gatherings, where the attendees and the instructors painted, shared their meals, listened to live music or just had quiet conversations about art and life.”

Vulnus Opem Feret – Strength in Vulnerability

“Vulnus Opem Feret,” Quarantine Event’s motto, translates to “the wound will help”. It can be interpreted in various ways – all pointing to the same idea: Art arises from vulnerability.

While this concept may seem disconcerting at first, Carles is confident in its ability to positively transform and help artists. “The metaphor suggests how suffering or adversity can be sources of inspiration. At the end of the April edition, three participants got our logo and motto tattooed, understanding that the artwork is born from the wound, from vulnerability. They discovered that for an artist, vulnerability is the key to hacking the muses. While some works may seem effortless, nothing in the art world comes easily.

“There’s a price to pay to be a good artist, and the first toll is realizing we are our vulnerabilities. We’re not artists because we’re perfect, but precisely because we’re not: our imperfections and our ability to transform them into art make us artists.”

There’s something about this island, where the silence of its walls, intense work, technological detox, and immersion in an artist community free of academic expectations, create an altered state of consciousness. I’m proud of everything that occurred on Lazaretto during that exhausting week.

Carles Gomila, the founder and organiser of Quarantine Events

The role of rituals

Quarantine Events a non-conventional environment is additionally full of meaningful symbols and rituals. Alongside their ethos of “tech detox” (mobile phone access is banned), rituals allowed attendees to detach from the familiar and “see their art, their education, and sometimes, their own lives from a new perspective”.

“The exercises [Jeremy Mann and I] shared with the attendees were intense and creatively demanding, but we were grateful to our group for trusting us and sticking with the schedule.” Nadezda explains. “Plein air painting the sunset – chasing the fleeting beauty of the setting sun with brushes; exploration of the world within through drawing, painting, writing and collage, and many-many more activities. These exercises opened up the angle of view for every person’s individual creativity and each of them took their discoveries for further development to their home studios. Artistic transformation is a life-long process – and Quarantine Events accommodated fertile ground for its nurture and development.”

Each of the six mentors had their own processes as part of the Muse Hacking program, leaning into different focal points and perspectives. However, all participants also enjoyed collective rituals to strengthen the feeling of connection and community.

April’s Quarantine Events may be over, but this is just the beginning

“I have received several personal emails from some of our attendees who are finding themselves released from a world of doubt that had built like a plaque around their minds.” Shares Jeremy Mann in his recent newsletter covering the Quarantine Events residency. “In a sense, they have begun to grab the reigns of their own lifestyle and conditioning their approach to life to better match their artistic desires… to tune the mind so their soul sings in harmony with their dreams. It’s not easy, and the road is fraught with difficulties as we all know […] That’s bravery. To see life for what it is so that you can be the artist you want to be without fear. I hear that in the words they wrote to me and told us at the event… and now even months later…”

If you interested in starting your own transformative journey as a creative, the time is now. The Muse Hacking program may be over, but Quarantine Events have a new upcoming residency this October: Fire Walk With Me!

Fire Walk With Me

Dates: October 16^th – 22^nd, 2023

The next Quarantine Events program features Kirsten Anderson, Lita Cabellut, Vincent Desiderio, Ryan Heshka, Miles Johnston, Guillermo Lorca and Martin Wittfooth as Quarantine’s incredible mentors. For more information on this journey and how to apply, click here.

Quarantine Events Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Telegram | Muse Hacking Program participant feedback

The post Quarantine Events: a deep dive into their transformative artist residencies shaking up the creative soul appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

In my latest interview with Cirius Scion, we delve deeper into her turbulent journey as an artist and learn more about the latest step in her vastly growing career.

Interview with Cirius Scion: a new age

So, what have you been up to since we last chatted almost a year ago?

Last time we spoke, I was working on getting into the American art market. Fortunately, I was able to stay focused and haven’t let setbacks affect my progress, no matter how emotional and insecure this rollercoaster can get at times. But this is the challenge every artist must face at the beginning of their path.

Let’s face it, there are no guarantees in the art world. My anxiety was the size of a planet, but I was still positive at the same time. I wasn’t sure when or what would happen, exactly, but I knew that my mind could manifest it eventually through persistence and patience. My art was basically the only thing on my mind, and it manifested like magic. I truly believe this type of thinking – along with hard work – is essential in manifesting exactly what you want.

So, I just kept studying the best in the industry, history, and trying to improve every day.

Cirus Scion

Copro Gallery in California opened the first doors for me. I was humbled when they gave me a solo exhibition alongside Benz & Chang, Web Benscoter and Dan Seagrave. It was like a dream come true.

Previously, my focus was often at war with my insecurities. I felt my work wasn’t yet at the level to exhibit in the galleries I wanted to show at, and so I delayed my plans. Additionally, I was spreading my energy out more into film and music rather than entirely into painting, hoping that I would attract opportunities with one of those passions as well. This plan was not working. I realized that I had to focus on one passion completely and then include the others during my free time. So far, this has been the most successful route; it’s been giving me more peace of mind. Even so, I constantly wish I had more time and didn’t need sleep just to make more art!

Pushing the limits: working against the clock

Indeed, congratulations on the impressive amount of group exhibitions throughout 2022! It must have been quite manic to keep up the pace.

Yes, I’ve had to really push myself to create new pieces at a faster pace because most exhibitions required specific themes. Naturally, I paint more than one piece, producing a minimum of two to three pieces a month, sometimes four. Honestly, I’m just thrilled to be able to show new works at amazing galleries. It’s really helped me experiment and grow as an artist. And yes, I’ve had to dedicate most of my time to this path, if not all. If I do take time off, I’m still thinking about how to improve the art, what ideas should be painted next and how to execute them.

Thus far, you’ve exhibited in Copro Gallery, Modern Eden Gallery, Haven Gallery and Arch Enemy Arts Gallery.

Yes – and these were all of the galleries I was aiming to show works at! I’m hoping to get into more galleries in the near future but for now I’m focusing on getting more works done and improving.

Also, I have to mention that Steve Diamant, the owner of Arcadia Gallery, was the one who took the time to review my portfolio on my website and offer valuable feedback and advice on how to improve it and the galleries that would best suit my style of art. Because of his good word, I was able to catch the attention of one of those galleries I’ve wanted to exhibit at for so long. So, a huge thank you to you, Steve!

The beauty of surrealism

Based on recent paintings, you’ve moved away from the Shakespeare series. Still keeping a historical feel, you seem to be getting more playful with the compositions of your characters and more surreal with your backgrounds.

Surrealism liberates the mind from the conscious thought. Surrealism presents a new physical mode characteristized by remarkable happenings and uncanny otherworldly juxtapositions. This is what motivates me to create art which lean towards surrealism.

Although interpretation is imposed by others, and paintings are to be admired or contemplated, I still want to be the one who leads the viewer along a journey with some idea of the experience. I try not to create art that looks repetitive; the last thing I want is to be predictable and boring.

Cirius Scion

I spent a great deal of time studying the work of historically regarded artists I admire, identifying why certain works of art were so successful. Ultimately, this allowed me to apply all of the lessons that I learned to my own practice – but with my own original twist. My art will become more surreal and experimental over time; I just need to gain more experience and sharpen my skillset!

Are many of your narratives built from personal experience?

No, right now I don’t paint exactly from personal experience, but rather from interesting stories. I spend a lot of time inside my head, instead of reality. I just paint narrative art through the lens of intellectual cognitive empathy.

A multi-medium artist: paint vs film

You mentioned earlier that you previously spread your energy out across painting, film, and music. I’m always impressed at the imagination and design which you also utilize for your website and social media posts, including some striking teaser videos. What’s more fun: creating films or painting?

Thank you, Natalia! I love both film and painting. Honestly, filmmaking feels more natural for me; it just flows out intuitively and somehow comes together without much effort. I’m not as restricted with the film medium as much as with painting. For instance, in painting I have to really focus on making sure the piece is aesthetically pleasing; constantly thinking about where the details will be applied, proportion, values, colours and composition. Sure, many of these elements are applied in cinematography too, and many of the frames are treated like a work of art. But not every frame is perfect, and only lasts for a couple of seconds or less.

I really enjoy creating interesting stories with my art and I always try to incorporate something cinematic to entertain the viewers. Creating film has helped me experiment as an artist. Additionally, it’s just a fun way of expressing thoughts and ideas through motion visuals.

You definitely have your own recognizable aesthetic! What influences and inspires you?

Thank you for confirming what I’ve always tried to do, which is to differentiate myself. I gravitate towards the unknown, psychological, spiritual themes. Most of my influences come from a darker world with, of course, elements of theatre.

I’ve always known myself as an old spirit, so my inspirations come from the history books, poetry, and art of the great masters. I like to explore concepts that either captivate me or haunt me. The world that I’ve been creating, which involves ideas of power, royalty, witchcraft, beauty, the human condition and spirituality, has been a timeless touchstone for me for so long.

Cirius Scion

At the moment, I’m particularly interested in esoteric themes and the dark realm; it’s my fascination with the underworld. You know, you can’t believe what you hear most of the time until you’ve experienced it yourself. Marilyn Manson, Seether and Jared Leto’s art were influential to me at a point too. I’m sure you’re able to recognize this in my paintings with gothic, post-grunge influences. It’s just my style.

Overcoming internal struggles

In general, I think times have been difficult for everyone. It’s as if we’re still healing from the recent few years while struggling to deal with new difficulties arising in our paths. Would you say this resonates, or have you managed to stave off being sucked into this common strife?

I’ve been cooped up in my studio for the past 10 years, so the pandemic didn’t affect me as it did others. But that’s not to say I don’t suffer from any mental challenges. That’s far from the truth; I’m on the spectrum of Borderline Personality, with some form of paranoia, anxiety, along with obsessive thinking (OCD checking). It’s not always easy to continue working on the days when I’m triggered. I try to limit my social media time because that is one trigger.

Naturally, I’m a very introverted, contemplative person, so almost everything around me that I experience will be analysed and dissected many times. This becomes mentally distracting and exhausting. So, working alone in a quiet environment with some inspiring music to set the mood is perfect for my type of personality and creative process.

As a working artist, you have to get used to being alone and work long hours with nobody to talk to when you have your own studio. The eeriness of silence feels spiritual. But my gratification comes from the mental journey of finishing a painting well and being proud of it.

The learning and striving never ends.

Cirius Scion

It’s good that you have found a way of working which motivates your strengths, I think that is something a lot of people are still striving to find! Focusing back to your personal achievement this year, out of your 2022 exhibitions, do you have any favourites?

My favourites are always the new pieces I create because each painting is made with more knowledge, and expertise than the previous. The learning and striving never ends. The show themes still allow me to freely express my style, so it doesn’t play a limiting factor, and it’s also fun and inspiring to see what others are also creating.

And finally, what is next for Cirius Scion?

The plan is to show at more dream galleries as well as forming a more distinctive recognizable style in the art industry. Additionally, I will be producing more inspiring art in the form of painting and cinema to support my stories, and possibly some music to connect with other like-minded individuals. It’s my way of connecting on a more intellectual level. There is a lot of work for me still to do on this journey!

Cirius Scion Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post A new chapter for Cirius Scion: liberating the mind, fulfilling the heart appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Since many of us are still in lockdown, or slowly coming out, and others have transitioned to working from home permanently, creating a safe and inspiring space for ourselves, that expresses who we are, what we love, and what is important to us has become a priority. Hence, I thought I would share my ‘Lust Haves’ list with you each month. A list of 10 wonderful things I have found on Instagram, which I would personally love to own! As you know the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine brand encompasses: Art, Culture, Couture. So these lists will of course include visual art, some of which I have recently added to my collection, and some which I would love to acquire, plus fashion, jewellery, ceramics, home wares, garden and pet related goodies, music, books and whatever else is on my ‘Lust Haves’ list at the time. All the goodies that feed the mind, body and soul.

I hope you find some inspiration from my list to update your look, feed your soul, and create your own sanctuary. One which expresses your unique individual style, brings you comfort, and joy, and inspires you each day. I personally advocate for shopping local where possible both for environmental reasons, and, of course, to support local makers and brands. However, my lists will include both Australian and international artists and brands to cater to our special international community.

I will be collecting all my ‘Lust Have’ ideas via my personal Instagram account @danijelakrhapurssey, so please join me there, and feel free to suggest some amazing products via DM to my Instagram account.

Exciting! Take a peek at my November 2021 Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ below. You can check out my previous Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ lists here for even more inspiration.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey // Editor-in-Chief, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

November 2021 // Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves

I adore Nicolette Johnson‘s handmade ceramic vessels! The curves and swerves are so feminine and right on point. Nicolette is an Australian ceramicists who exhibits her work regularly – I really need to get on a mailing list or two so I can get one of these enchanting creations.

I can’t go past velvet for its depth of colour and its wonderful textural qualities. But how to choose a colour? Each of the above Canvas + Sasson bed covers is divine, I can see myself snuggling on the lounge wrapped in one of these beauties!

Canvas + Sasson is an Australian wholesaler who curates gorgeous collections of both furniture and home wares for the retail market.

Troy Emery is an Australian sculptor who creates these magical creatures made of colourful thread. I have wanted one of these puppies since I first saw his tactile, playful work in person at the Sydney Contemporary art fair some time ago. A definite wish list item for me!

 “small sweet pink lump”, polyester, polyurethane, pins, adhesive, 40 x 44 x 39 cm.

A pair of these enchanting handmade mules have been on my wish list for some time! Joanne Fleming sources exquisite antique fabrics from Europe and beyond to create her couture footwear – each an artwork in itself, and a future heirloom.

Pavilion Parade is a cherished project of UK designer Joanne Fleming, working in close collaboration with South African shoe designer Caryn Wilensky to create a custom collection of exquisite artworks for the feet, available exclusively via the Pavilion Parade online store and the Joanne Fleming Design showroom in Brighton. Each pair of Loungers (the backless mule style) and Promenaders (the high back style) from the Signature Collection is a real labour of love and as a deliberate consequence of the use of antique textiles no two pairs are ever identical.

I am obsessed with House of Hackney‘s romantic maximalist wallpaper! Particularly the blush ‘Artemis’ – I can envisage it covering the walls of my office, cocooning me in floral femininity. I have a large swatch that I ordered from London, to see if it would suit the 100+ year old original wooden doors and skirting boards in my home, and yep – its perfection! This wallpaper is on my MUST have list! They also have curtains, cushions, rugs, furniture, bedding and lots more in their exquisite patterned designs.

Founded by husband and wife team Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle, House of Hackney is a luxury British interiors, fashion and lifestyle brand that reworks tradition for a new generation, with stores in London and New York.

Made of Australia create beautiful unique tableware for individuals, and the Australian restaurant industry, and you can see why! They are both evocative of the earth and the flame, and are visually beautiful. They would make a gorgeous serving plate, or even better a full set of dinnerware. Yes please!

Made of Australia is a handmade ceramics business conceived by artist & designer Anna-Marie Wallace. Everything from the Australian clays to the foraged indigenous flora used in the Saggar firing of their ceramic art is derived directly from the unique Australian landscape. This means that each and every piece they make is not only made in Australia, but Made of Australia.

The Little Lyndoch Flower Farm is based in the Barossa Valley in South Australia and sells tubers, seeds & beautiful bouquets, including these gorgeous peachy pink ranunculus. I’m already on their mailing list hoping to get my hands on these beauties for the next bulb planting season! You really can’t go past these easy to grow long flowering Spring bulbs.

Vipoo is a Thai-born Australian sculptor who creates super fun, whimsical little ceramic sculptures that truly capture my heart and bring a huge smile to my face every time I see them! I would love to add one of his wonderful creations to my growing sculpture collection.

His work is a playful blend of European historical figurines and Asian decorative art practices with a healthy dose of contemporary culture, often exploring cross-cultural and migration experiences. If you dont yet know his work I highly recommend you check him out!

If you have read my previous Lust Have’s blogs you will know that my husband and I recently bought our forever home in regional NSW, Australia. As you can imagine, with a new home often comes new furniture for the different and new spaces.

We recently ordered this wonderful outdoor lounge from Australian retailer Early Settler, for our back porch. I can’t wait till it arrives!

Speaking of new outdoor lounges, how fabulous would these beautiful hand woven cushions be on that lounge! Yes please I’ll take three.

Pampa is an Australian based company that is rediscovering threatened cultures and reviving lost traditions. They support skilled artisans in remote Argentina and beyond to produce home wares and accessories that are woven works of art. Pampa connects talented weavers with the global community.

I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my personal aesthetic. Stay tuned, my next Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ list will be published in December.

xox

The post Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Since many of us are still in lockdown due to COVID, and others have transitioned to working from home permanently, creating a safe and inspiring space for ourselves, that expresses who we are, what we love, and what is important to us has become a priority. Hence, I thought I would take the initiative and share my ‘Lust Haves’ list with you each month. A list of 10 wonderful things I have found on the internet and Instagram, which I would personally love to own! As you know the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine brand encompasses: Art, Culture, Couture. So these lists will of course include visual art, some of which I have recently added to my collection, and some which I would love to acquire, plus fashion, jewellery, ceramics, home wares, garden and pet related goodies, music, books and whatever else is on my ‘Lust Haves’ list at the time. All the goodies that feed the mind, body and soul.

I hope you find some inspiration from my list to update your look, feed your soul, and create your own sanctuary. One which expresses your unique individual style, brings you comfort, and joy, and inspires you each day. I personally advocate for shopping local where possible both for environmental reasons, and of course to support local makers and brands. However my lists will include both Australian and international artists ad brands to cater to our special international community.

I will be collecting all my ‘Lust Have’ ideas via my personal Instagram account @danijelakrhapurssey, so please join me there, and feel free to suggest some amazing products via DM to my Instagram account.

Exciting! Take a peek at my October 2021 Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ below. You can check out my previous Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ lists here for even more inspiration.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey // Editor-in-Chief, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

October 2021 // Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves

I love The Vampires Wife for SO many reasons! The name of course (I wanted to grow up to be a Vampire – yes its a thing!), the fact that the brand was founded by Susie Cave, and I adore the style and cut of the dresses – timeless, romantic and a little goth.

I love this green dress, but I also love all of her floral designs – one of these beauties is definitely on my ultimate wish list! I have two exhibition openings, one here in Australia and one in San Francisco next year [I curate all the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibitions, and attend the opening receptions (COVID permitting)] – I think I need one of The Vampires Wife dresses for one of these prestigious events – don’t you?

Spring is here and its a wonderful time to be in the garden! Here in regional Northern NSW of Australia the nights are still cold enough for the fire, but most of the days are filled with glorious sunshine. We have very cold winters here, with hard frosts which means much of the garden is dormant in winter – so spring is a celebration of new growth, renewed life and colour. The bulbs are the first to welcome spring and what a joy they are. I was rewarded by my Autumn plantings of tulips, ranunculus, hyacinth, and daffodils which have put on such a beautiful display. I cant wait to add to it next year! I am already plotting and planning.

Of course my garden would not be complete without Dahlias! These gorgeous summer flowering bulbs are something I crave. Sadly, I was too late getting onto the dahlia sales and missed out this year – they are in such high demand. We have a number of excellent growers here in Australia including Florelie dahlia breeders, whose range is just incredible. Wish me luck next year!

Ah the colour, pattern, texture, and richness of the Moroccan Textile Co’s rugs are divine! I have been eying them off for a while now – this runner would be perfect in my long hallway against the original 1800’s wooden floors.

The Moroccan Textile Co is a local Australian business who source authentic rugs and textiles from Morocco and West Africa.

I am very lucky to occasionally get some wonderful and precious gifts from the artists I work with in my role for Beautiful Bizarre Magazine! Artist Jason Mowry recently sent me a gorgeous print of this painting “The nudge, the touch, and the whisper”. I am so grateful to Jason for thinking of me!

Happily many artists have sent me treasures over the last 8 years. I am thrilled to say that I am now finally in a position to get many of these beautiful prints and originals framed and hung in my forever home – I am making my home a monument to the visual arts and the artists inside its walls! I feel so honoured to be able to see a little glimpse of their creative soul as I move around my home every day. I appreciate these random acts of kindness so very very much! The arts community is truly one of a kind, and I feel so privileged to be part of it.

I have mentioned my obsession with ceramics! I want all the things!! Kerryn Levy’s unique squiggly candlesticks are high up on my list. Beautiful, unique and functional – what more could you want?

Kerryn is an Australian ceramicist who hand builds all of her beautiful creations.

With Spring here it is time to start thinking about how I could revamp my back porch in preparation for those lazy summer days, and these gorgeous Pretzel cane chairs by Naturally Cane would be perfect! I can see myself happily sitting in one of these curved beauties with a glass of bubbles and a good book.

Naturally Cane is an Australian brand that creates beautiful cane furniture including bedheads, cabinets, chairs, tables, lounges and daybeds, and lots more!

Dried flowers are my new thing, and I can’t seem to go past Australian brand everbloome. They have so many stunning posies and individual blooms in their range. Each posy is SO gorgeous that it is super hard to choose just one! Everything from gorgeous brights, to soft pastels, to earth toned arrangements.

I purchased a small posy a few months ago, and I’m in love with it! So now I am dreaming over a larger arrangement, and these earth tones are speaking to my country girl soul.

I dont have human children, but I am a proud dog mum. Monty my 11 year old Golden Retriever is my fur baby, and my soul dog. He has the most beautiful, gentle, sweet, loving nature – I could not imagine life without him! One of these days I would love to have a portrait of him done to add to my art collection.

Artist Steven Kenny, Winner of the 2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Traditional Art Award would be my go to artist for such a special commission. How beautiful is the above portrait of a different Golden – I think my boy also deserves a crown!

I adore the soft, natural feel of linen. Both in my bedding and throws for my lounge room and office. These gorgeous Freya throws from CULTIVER are divine! The nights are still cold here, so having a beautiful throw to snuggle into in the evenings when the sun begins to set would be heavenly.

I recently discovered the American indie folk band, Lord Huron. How amazing is Spotify’s artist RADIO function? Ive found lots of new artists via this function. I just go to one of my favourite musicians Spotify page, and scroll down the their RADIO section, and BAM, it creates a playlist with a similar vibe/feel to my favourite artist.

Lord Huron is one such amazing discovery – Ben Schneider’s vocals give me chills, and the cinematic evocative nature of the music feeds my soul. The above is a little snippet of a live performance of one of their songs, “The Night We Met“. You can listen to the full track here on YouTube.

The Night We Met

I am not the only traveler
Who has not repaid his debt
I’ve been searching for a trail to follow again
Take me back to the night we met

And then I can tell myself
What the hell I’m supposed to do
And then I can tell myself
Not to ride along with you

I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Oh, take me back to the night we met

When the night was full of terrors
And your eyes were filled with tears
When you had not touched me yet
Oh, take me back to the night we met

I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Take me back to the night we met

I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my personal aesthetic. Stay tuned, my next Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ list will be published in November. xox

The post Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Since many of us are still in lockdown due to COVID, and others have transitioned to working from home permanently, creating a safe and inspiring space for ourselves, that expresses who we are, what we love, and what is important to us has become a priority. Hence, I thought I would take the initiative and share my ‘Lust Haves’ list with you each month. A list of 10 wonderful things I have found on the internet and Instagram, which I would personally love to own! As you know the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine brand encompasses: Art, Culture, Couture. So these lists will of course include visual art, some of which I have recently added to my collection, and some which I would love to acquire, plus fashion, jewellery, ceramics, home wares, garden and pet related goodies, music, books and whatever else is on my ‘Lust Haves’ list at the time. All the goodies that feed the mind, body and soul.

I hope you find some inspiration from my list to update your look and create your own sanctuary. One which expresses your unique individual style, brings you comfort, and joy, and inspires you each day. I personally advocate for shopping local where possible both for environmental reasons, and of course to support local makers and brands. However my lists will include both Australian and international artists ad brands to cater to our special international community.

I will be collecting all my ‘Lust Have’ ideas via my personal Instagram account @danijelakrhapurssey, so please join me there, and feel free to suggest some amazing products via DM to my Instagram account.

Exciting! Take a peek at my September 2021 ‘Lust Haves’ below. You can check out my August Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ list here for even more inspiration.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey // Editor-in-Chief, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

September 2021 // Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves

Del Kathryn Barton is my ultimate ‘art throb’! I know right, that is a huge call – considering what I do for a living! She has inspired, fascinated and challenged me for many years. I was deeply honoured to feature her work on the cover of the March 2018 re-launch issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and the interview within is wonderfully honest, intimate and moving. This print issue is of course sold out, but you can still purchase the digital magazine here.

Del has won Australia’s most prestigious Art Prize, the Archibald Prize, multiple times and deservedly so. Her work is unashamedly both beautiful and bizarre. I really admire her bravery to push boundaries, and explore very intimate women’s stories both through her paintings, and drawings, and her short films. This painting above is one of my all time favourites. You can see it animated in Del’s collaboration with Brendan Fletcher, their incredible short film brings Oscar Wilde’s The Nightingale and the Rose to vivid life in this animation masterpiece. If you haven’t experienced this amazing project check out a little teaser here, you wont be disappointed.

I would of course love to own one of Del’s original works! She is on my ultimate wish list. However a print of this spectacular painting would also be a dream.

If you’ve checked out my previous ‘Lust Haves’ list you will know that my husband and I recently moved into our forever home – a 130 year old timber cottage in regional NSW. Of course, the house has inspired lots of ideas regarding potential new décor for each space. This stunning rattan bedhead by Danish furniture manufacturer Sika-Design would look divine in front of the gorgeous original fireplace in our guest bedroom.

Zimmermann is one of my favourite Australian designers. I love far too many of their beautiful feminine dresses, blouses and skirts! I must admit I have a few gorgeous dresses by this designer already, but hey I couldn’t possibly wear the same dress to to more than one exhibition opening, could I? ;)

Zimmermann now has stores in the US, UK and Europe. If you have one near you, I highly recommend a visit – it’s heaven.

Concert Tie Neck Mini Dress, click through above to see the runway presentation. PS. the leggings and boots need to come home with me as well!

Amber Cowan’s contemporary glass sculptures are so beautiful and unique that they take my breath away! Her work is definitely on my collectors wish list. This work redefines modern glass art – from its materiality, to its divine colour, and surreal fluid form. Yes please!

Azure Ryder is a brilliant young Australian musician, singer and songwriter from Sydney whose music really touches my soul, and moves my body – vibrating from my heart ever outward until I’m just sitting here grooving while I work. Azure released her debut EP, Running With The Wolves, on 27 March 2020. The embedded snippet of her song Dizzy is above, give it a listen and let you spirit soar with this super talented young artist.

Some of the lyrics from Dizzy:

Half the time I’m wading water
And the other half I’m in the sky
‘Cause it’s the rise and the fall
That keeps us moving

I did mention in my August Lust Haves list that I am OBSESSED with ceramics right? Well as soon as I saw Australian artist Bonnie Hislop announce that she was dropping a new batch of her fun and quirky ceramics I couldn’t resist – and for once I actually a) saw the post prior to the work going on sale, and b) managed to get online on time to nab one of these fabulous trophies! Can you guess which one is mine?

The orange ‘Not the Worst‘ handmade ceramic sculpture is coming to live with me real soon. It will have pride of place on the mantle in my office and remind me every day that I am not the worst ;) So I must be doing something right, even when times are tough.

I’m really vibing on these sunglasses! The perfect shade of green and the sparkles – fabulous! They have been on my wish list for some time. I wear glasses full time so getting new sunglasses is a big investment once you also get new prescription tinted lenses put in – I am currently visualising them on my face – which of course makes them appear, doesn’t it?

These gorgeous glasses are by Australian eyeware and accessories brand MAUDE Studio.

Australian artist Lilli Waters was a finalist in the Photography Award category in both the 2019 and 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, and since then I have been following her closely. There is something enigmatic, cinematic and yet intimate about her fine art photography. I since had the pleasure of working with her on her in-depth interview editorial in Issue 31 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

I’m excited to reveal that Lilli will be participating in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s 2nd Museum exhibition globally, and the 1st Museum exhibition in Australia next May. Stay tuned for more information about this special exhibition which will feature, for the first time, Australian creatives only.

The above photograph Extinct, from her Anthropocene series, is one of my favourites – I’m sure you can see why!

I’m blessed to have lots of beautiful blowsy roses in my garden, and had posies of roses in most rooms of my house from December when we moved in, until late Autumn. What a joy! However the colder months left a little floral hole in my heart so I have embraced dried flowers, including this gorgeous little arrangement by French florist Celestine Morel.

I love the quirky, the handmade, the unique, and of course the beautiful and bizarre – and American creative Carly Elizabeth Owens-Weiss’ wonderful collection of embroidered earrings and necklaces give me a little thrill! The Beatrice Necklace keeps whispering to me ….. I think she wants to come and adorn my bodice ;)

I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my personal aesthetic. Stay tuned, my next Top 10 ‘Lust Haves’ list will be published in October. xox

The post Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Since many of us are still in lockdown due to COVID, and others have transitioned to working from home permanently, creating a safe and inspiring space for ourselves, that expresses who we are, what we love, and what is important to us has become a priority. Hence, I thought I would take the initiative and share my ‘Lust Haves’ list with you each month. A list of 10 wonderful things I have found on the internet and Instagram [physical shopping is not possible in my location – we are in full lock down currently], which I would personally love to own. As you know the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine brand encompasses: Art, Culture, Couture. So these lists will of course include visual art, some of which I have recently added to my collection, and some which I would love to acquire, plus fashion, jewellery, ceramics, home wares, garden and pet related goodies, music, books and whatever else is on my ‘Lust Haves’ list at the time.

I hope you find some inspiration from my list to create your own sanctuary, which expresses your unique individual tastes – that inspires you each day, gives you comfort, and brings you joy. I personally advocate for shopping local where possible both for environmental reasons, and of course to support local makers and brands. However my lists will include both Australian and international brands to cater to our special international community.

I will be collecting all my ‘Lust Haves’ ideas via my personal Instagram account @danijelakrhapurssey, so please join me there, and feel free to suggest some amazing products via my Instagram account.

Exciting! Take a peek at my August 2021 ‘Lust Haves’ below.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey // Editor-in-Chief, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

August 2021 // Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves

I have been lusting after these fabulous goth/witchy glasses by Adele Mildred for ages now! I love what she has written in her Instagram bio – “Esoteric eyewear and art by Adele Mildred. Ethical fashions for weirdos.” The weirdos are my people!

I recently acquired this stunning mixed media artwork by Andi Soto, from the exhibition ‘Lucid Dreaming’, that I curated on behalf of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine earlier this year at Copro Gallery in LA. This work is absolutely incredible in the reals – Im clearly a maximalist at heart!

I am so proud to own one of Andi’s works, she now has pride of place in my living room.

“Fever Dreams”, 2021. Ink, graphite, watercolor, color pencils, polymer and acrylic on Arches 300gsm paper, 12.6” x 18.2” 

As I have gotten older, I have become a huge fan of florals, and these dresses by Australian brand Saloon are just gorgeous, and really need to come and live in my wardrobe.

“SALOON for the wild and the wise. Limited edition hand made pieces featuring the finest fabrics from Liberty London.”

Sculpture is my favourite medium, and I have been collecting more and more over the years. I was so very honoured, and absolutely thrilled to have received this incredible handmade black porcelain crown by amazing Australia ceramicist Ebony Russell, as a birthday gift this year. The best birthday present ever!!

My husband and I recently bought a federation, period cottage built in the late 1800’s, in regional NSW. We are so in love with our new home, and feel so very grateful to have a house of our own! Excitingly I can finally get some new furniture that will suit the style and age of the home. YAY shopping! These gorgeous french provincial style chairs are already on order and I hope they are delivered soon. The rattan back and the peacock blue velvet upholstery are giving me life! Provincial Home Living is currently my favourite furniture retailer – I want all the things.

Speaking of new homes, I have been busy in the garden when not working on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Gardening is one of my loves, it feeds my soul. I get to step away from my screens, get outside and into the sunshine, get my hands dirty, and give my body some much needed exercise. I recently planted lots of new roses in our garden and this is one of them, ‘Red Riding Hood’ from Australian rose nursery Treloar Roses. I adore the old world feel of these blowsy blooms. From Spring to Autumn I will have roses in most rooms of my home, plus of course throughout my garden. I cant wait to see them grow!

I adore quirky female voices and singer/song writers. Australian musician Kate Miller-Heidke is on of my favourites. I have even had the pleasure of seeing her live – it was such a thrill! I was definitely fan-girling. She released a new album not long ago ‘CHILD IN REVERSE’, above is a small part of one of the songs from this album that really speaks to my soul – ‘DELUDED’.

I purchased another artwork from the recent Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Copro Gallery. What can I say, as the curator it is way too hard to resist! This exquisite painting by artist Marc Burckhardt is glorious in person. I am so very honoured to have one of his beautiful paintings in my collection. She now has pride of place in my living room by my fireplace.

“The Dream”, 2021. Acrylic & oil on wood panel, 9.25″ x 7.5″

More florals, but this time in picnic rug form. As you can imagine I am very much looking forward to Spring! It has been a long cold winter here, some nights have gotten down to -5 degrees celsius [23 fahrenheit]. I have promised myself that this year I will take my husband and my precious Golden Retriever ‘Monty’ on a picnic to some of the wonderful wild locations here in Regional NSW.

These gorgeous picnic rugs are by Australian brand Wandering Folk. Their range of rugs, cushions, throws etc are all so beautiful!

Speaking of ceramics, I am obsessed! Both sculptural and functional. I recently purchased the little one on the left in the pic above. The texture and the fun shapes that Nadia Robertson incorporates into her handmade pottery makes me happy! My ceramics collection is growing – YAY!

I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my personal aesthetic. Stay tuned, my next ‘Lust Haves’ list will be published in September. xox

The post Editor’s Top 10 Lust Haves appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Due to the global effects of COVID-19, we have taken the decision to release this special 7th anniversary issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine in digital format only. At the time this issue was to go to print it was impossible to get our magazine to galleries, newsagents, bookstores, and homes all around the world due to shipping route disruption and closures globally. We have, however, made this issue easily accessible via direct download from our website, so you can access the magazine instantly via any of your devices, no matter where in the world you are quarantined. You can of course also access Issue 29 via the ‘beautiful bizarre’ app on iTunes and Google Play.

Inside Issue 29 Beautiful Bizarre Magazine we take a deep dive into the practice of cover artist Omar Rayyan. In our exclusive interview, Omar tells us how he got started in the arts, what inspires his work, and how he often uses the animal protagonists in his visual storytelling.

My choice of subjects comes from a need for a relatable visual shorthand to create the narrative between artist and viewer, this is probably why the fable style/ convention shows up with its animal protagonists and elements so often. Animal characters are more universal and can speak not only to the physical, but to the abstract emotional being as well. The tendency for fables to work on multiple levels also helps lend depth to the narrative, working as an entertaining children’s story, a deep moral lesson, or a thoughtful insight into the human psyche.

OMAR RYYAN

We also share in an intimate conversation between artist couple, Julio Reyes and Candice Bohannon, as they reveal what its like to live, love and create together.

I still have well meaning family members who see my career choice as a little nuts, so it is nice to live and work with someone who totally understands my strengths, my weaknesses, and my devotion to making art, and loves me for all those things. I don’t have to hide that part of myself that is totally a head in the clouds dreamer, and neither does Julio.

CANDICE BOHANNON

2nd Prize Winner of the INPRNT Traditional Art Award in the 2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Victor Grasso: painter, thalassophile, seeker of knowledge and pursuer of dreams is a man of many faces whom chooses art as his navigator through this world.

Art is everything to me. Art is a friend, art is a chronology of history, art is a documentarian of nature, art is a teacher, and art is life.

VICTOR GRASSO

The 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is currently open and accepting entries, don’t miss out on your opportunity to get your work in front of the Editor-in-Chief of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, win a US$10,000 cash prize, participate in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco later this year, win advertising packages, see your work published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine + receive global exposure, enter today! Entries close midnight 17 July 2020.⁣

For information on all Award Categories, the full list of Prizes, Entry Criteria and Jury Panel please visit www.beautifulbizarreartprize.art.

Feminist porcelain sculptor, Chris Antemann reveals that the male gaze, or rather the subversion of the male gaze is a theme closely explored in her work.

In my world, the female gaze is more interesting than the historical overuse of the male gaze. I love to position my female characters under the male gaze. I attempt to give them either the confidence to own it, to know that they are under it and are strong and unaffected by it OR to give the character the sense of humour to play back or to play to this male gaze. I also like to reverse the situation and put the female in the position to do the gazing.

CHRIS ANTEMANN

2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize finalists Annie Montgomerie and Marisa Veerman invite us take a journey back to our childhood through the use of two very different mediums. Sculpture Award finalist Annie Montgomerie‘s uses mixed media to realise her nostalgic aesthetic. The ‘children’ she creates come from an era of playing hopscotch or kiss chase in the streets of their hometown. Climbing trees and dirty knees, running home before dark for their tea. While, Photography Award finalist Marisa Veerman makes a conscious decision to conceal the identity of her muses through deliberate cropping, movement and blur, along with embroidering onto the photographs themselves, which allows the viewer to project their own memories and stories onto her young subjects.

We look into the slightly psychedelic, slightly absurdist Scottish artist Lola Dupre’s hand cut collages, and how they inhabit a newly reconstructed universe borrowing only the most vivid aspects of our present reality. Josie Morway shares how her overwhelming reverence for nature, and her impulse towards conservation and activism has influenced her life like paintings of the wonderful creatures of our world.

Josie Morway’s work calls us to take a second look, a closer look, not only at the canvas, but the world at large and our role as its guardian. To protect, to observe and ultimately, to change it for the better, bringing optimism to the forefront when it’s dark.

JENNIFER RIZZO

We feature Tomohide Ikeya’s intriguing black and white photography in stunning full page reproductions in Issue 29’s Lookbook, and delve into Jordi Diaz Alama‘s paintings where his figurative elements are pulled into focus by the disruption of the surface that surrounds them, each nestled within a landscape awash with red light and textural details or delicately peeled layers of pigment.

Six artists, Dawid Planeta, Kazuhiro Hori, Dewi Plass, Lix North, Daria Theodora, and Ritchelly Oliviera, working across styles and mediums respond to the same quick questions:

• What do you hope to leave behind in the world through your art?
• What do you think is the single most important piece of advice you have been given as an artist?
• Do you feel exhibiting your work is important to your practice?
• How does contemporary always “plugged in” culture influence your work?

While our editor-in-chief, Danijela Krha Purssey acknowledges in her ‘Letter from the Editor’ the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares her hopes that the result of this terrible time will be a transformative for us as a species. That we will finally realise our dependence on nature, and that part of our evolution will be to honour our home and the creatures that share this world with us.

The situation is truly surreal – I often feel that perhaps I will wake from a strange and frightening dream. But sadly this is real, in just 2 short months the world has changed completely. We can no longer visit or hug our loved ones, millions are infected, hundreds of thousands dead, and even more live in fear and isolation as the COVID-19 virus spreads across the world. We are all heartbroken!

Danijela krha purssey

Marina Eliasi, the director of amazing New York City gallery, Stone Sparrow NYC, shares what artwork she would like to add to her personal collection in this issues Curator’s Wishlist.

We discover some of our favourite wearable art brands, and share a collection of the amazing hashtagged #beautifulbizarre artwork from our social media community of over 1 Million followers!

Find this and so much more inside Issue 29 Beautiful Bizarre Magazine // June 2020, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 29.

The post Issue 29 On Sale appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Inside Issue 28 we plunge into the work of Matthew Grabelsky and his wild subway world, and learn what is involved in the design process of a book cover with Tran Nguyen.

We also share in an intimate conversation between Nom Kinnear King and Adam Oehlers as they reveal what its like to live, love and create together. We hear how 2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Winner Annie Murphy-Robinson uses her art, as a catharsis and tool to heal traumatic wounds from her past in a deeply personal and moving interview.

Bruno Pontiroli shares his desire to use humour as a universal language to bridge cultural divides and enliven the increasingly negative mindset invading the 21st century. While we touch on Jason Mowry’s interest in expressing the anima, the unconscious feminine side of a man, as keeper or dispenser of deep wisdom, and how this is expressed in his watercolour paintings.

In our exclusive in-depth interview with Australian analogue photographer Petrina Hicks, she reveals how her interest in the animal-human relationship is captured in her work as the “otherness” – the boundary between the human and non human animal. We also take a close look at 2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Sculpture Award Winner, Akishi Ueda’s detailed surreal sculptures, and discover how his reoccurring city motif expresses memory; but not his, the memory of humanity.

We feature Lori Earley’s figurative paintings in stunning full page reproductions in Issue 28’s Lookbook, and delve into Mathilde Oscars’ photography and her insatiable hunger to tell stories. Together we learn how Jeffrey Chong Wang’s “cultural disorder” has impacted his paintings in a monumental way.

Seven artists Lani Imre, Alexandra Dvornikova, Harold Munoz, Cassidy Rae Marietta, Marisa Aragon Ware & Sandra Ovenden, working across styles and mediums respond to the same quick questions:

1. Art is a visual language what are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?
2. What is the most challenging part about creating art for you?
3. Do you think beauty in art is important?
4. What role do you feel art and the artist have in today’s society?

While our editor-in-chief acknowledges the horrific bush fires that have ravaged Australia from September 2019 into 2020, and issues a call to arms for people to step up and accept their responsibility to this planet in her ‘Letter from the Editor’. The director of New England Regional Art Museum, Rachel Parson, shares what artwork she would like to add to her personal collection.

Plus we discover some of our favourite wearable art brands, and share a collection of the amazing hashtagged #beautifulbizarre artwork from our social media community of over 1 Million followers!

All this and so much more inside Issue 28 // March 2020, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 28.

The post Issue 28 On Sale appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Inside Issue 27 we immerse ourselves in the work of Yoann Lossel and his romantic notions of paradise in our fascinating in depth interview with the enigmatic French artist, and follow along as Handiedan creates one of her intricate hand cut 3-dimensional collages.

We also share in an intimate conversation between Kristine and Colin Poole as they reveal what its like to live, love and create together, and enter the vibrant inner world of Kristen Liu-Wong and like voyeurs we witness intimate scenes of heartbreak, sexual frustration and the fantasies of a modern feminist through Kristen’s narrative lowbrow paintings.

In an interview with Brad Kunkle we discover how he paints the divine feminine into a world through his luminous oil paintings saturated in gold and silver foil. French fine art photographer Delphine Cencig questions the reality we are sold throughout HIS-story and we pose a very curious question: “What would our contemporary world look like if Jesus was a woman?”

In our exclusive in-depth interview with Kate Bergin we see how her perfectly painted wild animals regain their natural sovereignty, and we become small, watched under their steady gaze.

We feature Casey Weldon’s vivid surreal paintings as stunning full page reproductions in Issue 27’s Lookbook, and delve into Yosuke Ueno’s artistic philosophy as he spreads peace, love and happiness through his work. Together we learn how Ryan Heshka’s work engages with contemporary themes of conformity, individuality and rebellion.

Seven artists, Happy D, Mary Syring, Junko Mizuno, Meredith Marsone, Gustavo Rimada and Courtney Brims, working across styles and mediums respond to the same quick questions:

1. What does art mean to you?
2. In your experience, what are some of the challenges of being an artist?
3. What does success as an artist look like for you personally?
4. How do you develop your imagination as an artist? 

While our editor-in-chief touches on our need to unplug, relax and practice mindfulness in this increasingly fast paced world in her ‘Letter from the Editor’, the director of Anthony Roth Gallery in Paris, Anthony Roth, shares what artwork he would like to add to his personal collection. Plus we discover some of our favourite wearable art brands, and so much more inside Issue 27 // December 2019, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 27.

The post Issue 27 On Sale appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Inside issue 26 we immerse ourselves in the dark surreal world of Roberto Ferri and his depictions of love, hate, death and life. We we take a deep dive into cover artist Troy Brooks’ work and his androgynous film-noir inspired female protagonists, we visit and learn what a day is like in the peppermint-scented London studio of painter Christ Guest.

We are provided with a deeply personal insight into the challenges and triumphs that artist couple Kit King and Oda have faced living, loving and creating together, and enter the colossal furred and feathered world of Guillermo Garcia-Huidobro as he shares his creative philosophy.

We look inward and examine our own lives, as Australian artist Ben Frost describes how his work is a discourse on the new world of ‘Advertainment’ and how we ourselves have become advertisers, our realities defined by levels of ‘customer engagement’, ‘click through rates’ and effective hashtags, while Lauren YS‘ childlike curiosity is expressed in the strange and rebellious characters that inhabit her unique universe.

In our exclusive in-depth interview with painter Margaret Bowland we explore the concepts of identity and acceptance through her stunningly realist portraits, and we hear from Brian Mashburn about the difficulties artists face when trying to make a living from their artwork.

We showcase Joel Rea’s vivid surreal paintings as stunning full page reproductions in issue 26’s Lookbook, and step into the mythical and magical world of Markus Akesson‘s faceless figures.

Seven artists, Eva Mai, Bronwyn Hill, Juliette Clovis, Jenna Barton, June Stratton, and Thomas Ascott, working across styles and mediums respond to the same quick questions:

1. What originally inspired your interest in creating art?
2. Who are a couple of your favourite artists and why do they stand out?
3. What is the strangest or most surprising response you’ve had to your work?
4. Do you think art can help people connect to vital issues about our world?

While our editor-in-chief Danijela Krha Purssey acknowledges the physical and mental challenges that come with making a living from your art or creative practice – and that the struggle is real! And the director of Dark Art Emporium, Jeremy Schott, shares what artwork he would like to add to his personal collection.

Plus we discover some of our favourite wearable art brands, and so much more inside Issue 26 // September 2019, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 26.

The post Issue 26 On Sale appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Inside issue 25 we look into painter Hannah Yata’s deeply considered attitude to nature and feminine forces, and explore Spanish artist DULK’s unique tributes to the natural world.

In our in-depth interview with American painter Michael Carson, he reveals that the strong female subjects in his work reflect his feminist attitudes, and are inspired by the strong women in his life. We also explore Mariana Mezic‘s energetic paintings which she creates in the face of self doubt.

In our Collectors Profile, we learn why Steven Bennett and Dr Elaine Schmidt have decided to focus the Bennett Collection on female figurative painters. By placing a much needed spotlight on the work of living female artists the Bennetts are helping to counteract the gender discrimination that is still prevalent in the art world.

Matt Dangler shares how he has found a safe and liberating place of expression for both joy and pain within his practice. While sculptor Johnson Tsang explains how his lucid dream life enables him to travel to universes yet undiscovered, before returning to our own plane of existence to bring these visions to life.

This issue also includes an exclusive interview with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Curator, Danijela Krha Purssey and Urban Nation Museum for Contemporary Art‘s Director, Yasha Young, in which they discuss the critical environmental focus of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s debut Museum exhibition, ‘Gaia Reborn: A Future Utopia’. You can read the full length uncut interview here.

‘Gaia Reborn’ will bring together over 50 of the world’s best contemporary figurative artists which will individually and collectively bring to life an incredibly important theme – the conservation of our planet!

In our exclusive in-depth interview with Gerald Brom, he tells of his inspirations found in legends, folk tales, and the myths he encountered on his treks in countries near and far, and we feature Natalie Shau’s evocative digital art in stunning full page reproductions in issue 25’s Lookbook.

Seven artists, Adeyemi Adegbesan, Natalie Foss, Martin Stranka, Chieko Ito, Marina Mika, and Beth Mitchell, working across styles and mediums respond to the same quick questions:

1. How did you find and develop your personal aesthetic?
2. How has social media changed your practice? Do you include less nudity in your work now to fit their censorship standards?
3. What obstacle have you encountered as an artist, and how did you overcome them?
4. How do you market yourself and your art to gain recognition from galleries and collectors?

While our Editor-in-Chief Danijela Krha Purssey acknowledges the overwhelming good we could do for the natural world if we all work together in her ‘Letter from the Editor’, and the Director of Urban Nation Museum for Contemporary Art, Yasha Young shares what artwork she would like to add to her personal collection.

Plus we discover some of our favourite wearable art brands, and so much more inside Issue 25 // June 2019, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 25.

The post Issue 25 On Sale appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.