DAVID CHOE

David Choe

David is a wanderer. He has traveled to some of the most dangerous places on earth (Gaza Strip and Republic of Congo). He spent time in solitary confinement in a Japanese prison where created art from soy sauce and his urine. He is a street graffiti artist and is known worldwide. His poetry is and writing style are just as compelling as his images. He is elusive. he is.

RAQUEL APARICIO

RAQUEL APARICIO

I stumbled upon (literally) this artist and was instantly attracted to her style (and her name). I realized as I was organizing the images to put onto this page that I am perhaps subliminally attracted to artwork with animals. I seem to take a liking to zoology and the anthropomorphic characteristics that artists imply. Raquel's work has been published in the likes of the New York Times Magazine, she as worked on advertising campaigns such as Nokia and has won numerous awards. Her vision is truly unique.

JEREMY GEDDES

JEREMY GEDDES

This painter breaks the mold of painting with oils and takes it to the next level. His vision of light (i.e. highlights, shadows and midtones) is so precise. It is like peering through a magnifying glass at a quasi photograph into Geddes' world of weird angles, with a man in a diving bell/astronaut suit appearing to fall from the great heights of the sky. The positioning of the figure is often odd and disturbing and the viewer is left with a sense of unease. The detail and tones in the paintings make the viewer take a second glance because they look so real. His work continues to amaze me on so many levels. As a photographer, we are trained to see light through the viewfinder, but painting brings in a whole different level of understanding of light. My teachers used to say that some of the best photographers were painters first. I believe that.

To see more of his paintings: http://www.jeremygeddesart.com/

REZA ABEDINI

REZA ABEDINI


I try and make my way into bookstores fairly often. Bookstores are a great resource for all things art. I could spend hours sipping hot coffee, lounging in a soft leather chair and flipping through large art books with lots of beautiful pictures. It is great for my research and great for my soul. I came across this artist in this process and I really loved his graphics. A prominent graphic designer in Iran, he has won numerous awards for his visionary work. I highly respect good graphic designers. There is a heavy focus on typography, and that is something that I personally find very challenging. Have a look at his work.

To view his full body of work: http://www.rezaabedini.com/

MATT LEINES

MATT LEINES

I was in RVCA a while back and I saw Matt's new book 'You Are Forgiven'. I stood stationary, leaning against the table, looking at the enigmatic lines and textures in Matt's pieces. His depictions of creatures, mustached men and living architecture paint a pop surrealist picture for the viewer. The black ink detailing intermingled with the color palette of primarily red and yellow offer a strong consistency in his work. It is unquestionably modern.

Matt does not seem to have a personal website online, but there are a lot of resources to see his work.
Matt on Artslant
Matt on RVCA
Matt on booooooom

AMANDINE URRUTY

AMANDINE URRUTY

This artist from Toulouse, France, dazzles the viewer with enigmatic deviant portraits of beasts and odd characters. Her traditional drawing style is similar to engraving, and if I translated her French page correct, I believe she also uses crayons, which offers a striking color palette.

For more of her work: http://amandineurruty.free.fr/

RYAN MCLENNAN

RYAN MCLENNAN

I recently discovered this artist and I am fascinated by his work. His subject, animals, dismembered and beheaded, paint a morose and disturbing picture for the viewer. The backdrop of his work is white,  moving away from the realism of forest backdrops. This places the focus more on the illustration. The coiling trees and portrayals of death and decay distill an uneasiness for the viewer that is hard to shake off, but in contrast there is something oddly serene about his work.

For more of his work: http://www.ryanmclennan.com/