Beauty in Chaos
While taking a break from my menial copywriting jobs, I saw this stunning piece by Alexandra Levassuer. I love her. Like a lot of artists I love, I sometimes forget about them, so it is great when social media re-alerts you to something aesthetic that makes your heart warm. I just had to share it. I also would like to eat it. Hah. Enjoy your days beautiful people xxxx
Tadas Sidlauskas
Lithuanian oil-painter, Tadas Sidlauskas, uses colour, ornamentation, abstract shapes and human figures to bring strong emotion into his paintings. I especially like these three pieces from his portfolio, mainly the use of primary colours in these first two images and the Klimt influence in the final image. To see more visit his website.
Elizabeth Yoo x Alain Robbe-Grillet
What do you get when you cross one masterful filmmaker with another masterful artist? You get more art, of course! I recently chatted to the talented creative, Elizabeth Yoo, about her recent work that uses the erotic cinema of Alain Robbe-Grillet as muse. Yoo’s expressive artwork is a treat on its own but, incase you are yet to meet, let me introduce you to Robbe-Grillet in the clip below. Yoo’s interview and artwork follows.
Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about your series of paintings based on the films of Alain Robbe-Grillet. I’ve actually never seen his films, as embarrassing as it is to say, but I’ll definitely be checking them out soon.
It was the first series I’d ever done and it was also the first time I’d picked up a paintbrush in several years. But I guess I needed that long hiatus from making art in order for me to expand my frame of reference, collect my inspirations, see what my true interests really were. This series was kind of a rebirth for me. Through painting my interpretations of these scenes from the first four films Robbe-Grillet directed (L’Immortelle, Trans-Europ-Express, The Man Who Lies, Eden and After), I was coming into my own. I felt like I was finally freed from inhibitions. These paintings are not just scenes from films—I also see them as self-portraits. They communicate my own desires. Although more widely known as a writer, pioneer of the nouveau roman (“new novel”), and a screenwriter, his films deserve to have a wider audience. I’m drawn to the ambiguity of his films– the line between reality and fantasy is indistinguishable. And of course, I’m drawn to the sadomasochistic eroticism and this desire mixed with fear present in most of his films.
What about sexuality in art do you find appealing? Who are artists that you feel perfect the art of eroticism? I’ve always loved Egon Schiele and you can find newcomer Kaethe Butcher on most erotic art sites, she’s taking the world by storm.
Egon Schiele is definitely one of my favourite artists. His aggressive, expressionistic style heightens the eroticism of his paintings. The angular bodies, the bones jutting out, pale skin marked by bright spots of red or blue that look like smears, eyes looking directly at the viewer, intertwined lovers: you really feel the energy. Another favorite painter of mine is Balthus, whose style is kind of the opposite of Schiele—there’s a calmness and a stillness to the figures in his paintings. There are defined, domestic backgrounds unlike Schiele’s work which has all this negative space. Kaethe Butcher is fantastic. Her style is incredibly provocative and I love the way she incorporates text into her drawings.
You use a limited colour palate in your work, does this act as a vehicle to explore darker undertones in your subjects? Or is it purely an aesthetic/style preference?
I think I express myself better in black and white than in colour. Black is the colour of nighttime and sensuality—perfect for my subject matter. I don’t have to think as much when using only black paint and ink—I can transmit all my raw emotions onto the paper without hesitation or forethought; spontaneity is key in my work. When I use colour, I’m usually drawn to bright, primary colours– but I worry if the colours will work together. Sometimes the cheerful colours contrast with my dark themes— I like that disparity.
Eros And After: Pleasure & Pain in the Films of Alain Robbe-Grillet was your first solo exhibition. How did you find the process? Was selecting the final work for display difficult or are you a total planner? How did outcomes meet expectations?
Originally, I was going to paint scenes from several more of his films. But due to lack of time, I ended up only doing his first four films—and I like that limited focus. I’m happy with how I ended up with twenty paintings. The perfect symmetry: we hung ten paintings from the ceiling on one side and ten on the other. I tend to over-plan and since it was my first show, a lot of stress was definitely involved! But I was very happy to see that people who came to my exhibit understood the work and saw how powerful and in control of their sexuality the women in the paintings are.
Your second exhibition is underway as I write this. How does this compare with your first exhibition?
The audience is very different and the way in which my paintings were exhibited is also very different. The walls of the gallery at my second exhibition are coloured (blue, orange, and magenta) so I feel like that becomes part of the artworks and changes how they look, which is interesting. At my first exhibit at Holyrad Studio in Brooklyn, we showed one of Robbe-Grillet’s films during the reception—so the audience (mostly twenty-something year olds) got a really full experience. At my second exhibit at Home Art Gallery in Long Island– it’s a suburban area and it’s an area with people of all ages, so the reaction was a bit different. Most of the Robbe-Grillet paintings were shown, as well as other artworks of mine with thematic and stylistic similarities. Most of the people at both exhibits had never seen a Robbe-Grillet film—so it was a pleasure for me to introduce them! I was able to meet Robbe-Grillet’s widow (and a very famous dominatrix in France) Catherine Robbe-Grillet twice shortly after my show and she told me I was “converting” people into “Alain fans”—so my work was done!
How important do you think exhibiting work is as an artist, especially given the plethora of online spaces art can be showcased these days?
I think it’s extremely important because you don’t get a real sense of the size, texture, and detail in a work of art unless you see it in person. I like to stand for a long time in front of an artwork when I’m at a gallery because I try to see the artist’s process: the brushstrokes they made, how many layers of paint they used, etc. It’s a totally different experience, too, seeing an entire series or a body of work in a gallery—you’re totally in that artist’s world and there’s almost a private communion between you and the artworks. Online,you may get a more scattered, incomplete experience.
You obviously love film. Can you recommend five films and/or directors to us?
Alain Robbe-Grillet’s Trans-Europ-Express (which I screened at my first show) is very playful and sexy—about a film-within-a-film. A director (played by Alain Robbe-Grillet himself), a script supervisor (played by his wife Catherine), and a producer, riding the Trans-Europ-Express from Paris to Antwerp, discuss ideas for a crime movie about a man who will travel on the same train they are on. This character, played by Jean-Louis Trintignant, smuggles cocaine into Antwerp and becomes involved with a prostitute played by Marie-France Pisier. The two have daytime trysts involving sadomasochisticplay that eventually become fatal.
Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samouraï. Melville is my absolute favourite director—a Frenchman who loved American gangster films and film noir, like me—this film stars my favourite actor Alain Delon playing a quiet hit man who follows the code of a samurai.
Roger Vadim’s Barbarella: Jane Fonda in some of the sexiest costumes ever. I adore her combination of innocence and total lack of shame about her sexuality. Campy fun. Shirley Clarke’s The Connection. I worked with director Immy Humes on an upcoming documentary about Shirley, who was an independent filmmaking rebel. My favourite film of Clarke’s is about a group of jazz musicians jamming in this Greenwich Village apartment as they wait for their drug dealer to come. A documentary film crew shoots them and it raises all sorts of questions about “realism.”
Agnès Varda’s Le Bonheur—absolutely beautiful, colourful film about a happily married couple, which takes a devastating turn after the man cheats on his wife. I really love the disparity between the colours and this dark undercurrent.
From your website I can see you are a total all-rounder when it comes to creativity! I love this. I also dabble in many art/creation forms. I’ve often felt the pressure to pick one art-form to focus on and excel in. Can you relate to similar concepts? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by having such an active mind?
I often do feel very overwhelmed! I have terrible insomnia due to my overactive mind. I often do most of my work into the night because I have no sense of time passing. My other passion besides painting is writing. I write very dark, twisted noir stories, psychological thrillers—a bit like Patricia Highsmith—and stories that fuse eroticism with horror. Once I am completely happy with my stories (I’m too much of a perfectionist which is why it takes me so long to complete a story!) I will eventually post them on my website with an illustration to accompany each story. My goal is to find a way to link my love of visual art with my writing.
See more of Elizabeth’s work on her website.
Merry Christmas
Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas and festive season! (It’s already Christmas here in New Zealand! The sun is shining and it is super quiet and peaceful)
This is my ‘Virgin of Guadalupe’ artwork which seemed more than appropriate for this time of year.
Thanks for all your support. Stay cool, artful and open.
Beth Hoeckel
I’m loving these fun, feminine collages by Beth Hoeckel. Each piece connects femininity and sexuality with everyday objects like waffles and plants to create super powerful imagery with an understated connection to the goddess. Oh yeah, what more could you want? Plus, you can grab them for under $20. Links below each image. Peace and love x
Maggie Dunlap
Like Petra Collins, Maggie Dunlap is another young Sagittarius whose work focuses on the exploration of girlhood with amazing results. Dunlap’s work is bold, true and sometimes dark – she does have an illustrated alphabet of serial killers after all. She is a huge Marilyn Manson fan and brings her love of horror and gore into some of her pieces while others are boldly feminist and unapologetic. She’s one of those artists that makes art out of just about anything and someone I recommend getting to know, if only on the internet. Karley Sciortino interviews her here for Slutever which is well worth reading. For me, I felt a lot of Dunlap’s answers were my inner thoughts.
Here is some of Maggie Dunlap‘s work I enjoyed, but you will find more on the web if you dare.
Juliette Caron
I probably don’t post as much loose painting as I should. There is always something so magical about art that isn’t super refined or desperately seeking realism. Art like Juliette Caron‘s has a special energy, brought to life by the relationship between painter and paintbrush. I’ve picked three pieces of Caron’s work that are available as super affordable prints for you to look at. While you won’t be able to smell the paint, I’m sure they still look just as good in the flesh! Links below, of course. xx
It’s all an act…
Okay, so I have some news. I’m in love with Emma Roberts. She’s not aware of this fact yet, so things aren’t moving as quickly as perhaps you’d like… But seriously, she’s pretty damn cool and just watching her on my humble television screen makes me smile. I recently came across these divine pics of her rocking a 70s vibe which reminded me of a shoot of Mia Goth I adored too. So on your Tuesday I give you a little mash-up of two fresh, talented women who rock the camera – as killer actresses and smoking hot vintage babes. There’s also some moving Mia down the bottom. Stay cool. xxxxx
Read more at Dazed
Frances Sousa
Toronto-based artist, Frances Sousa, has many talents. Her diverse portfolio showcases a range of art styles and mediums ranging from photography to paint to wool (yes, stitching). Dreamy colour palettes and feminine energy present across her portfolio. Here are a few pieces I really liked, but to see more go here.
Faces
I found this stunning picture by Kebba Sanneh yesterday and was in love. Today, I found the second image on Tumblr, unfortunately with no credit to the artist, but I had to share them both as they work so well as a pair. Yum, nothing like some good art to keep you alive.
M3LL155X
The visual EP, M3LL155X, is a self-directed project form FKA twigs. I watched it today and really, really enjoyed it. I would recommend taking the time to clear you mind and really watch it. If anything, it gets better as it goes on. So sit back and immerse yourself in the work of an inspiring woman and a true creative.
If you want some more written content on the project, you check out this article at Dazed.
Sorry I have been absent lately. Life takes over. But I’m back now x
Sandra Chevrier
I love this mixed-media artwork by Sandra Chevrier. The mix of sultry women and pop-art imagery really works, making striking art that I would love to have in my home.
From her website: “She exposes the limitations within our world, our self-imposed expectations and the cages we have allowed to bar us from fullness of life’s experience.”
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June – Elsa Isabella
Visual Female of the Month for June (yes, it’s still June) is Sydney-based artist, Elsa Isabella. I featured Elsa on The Visual Female many moons ago, showcasing her amazing skills at drawing tiny beauties. Since then, Elsa has been dedicated to her craft and journey as an artist. I wanted to get to know more and, of course, share it all with you. You can read the inspiring interview here.
Erik Jones
I love the vibrant artwork of Erik Jones. His work combines realism with abstraction and surrealism to create striking statement art that revolves around women. Here’s a few pieces I like, but check out a whole lot more here (it’s worth it, I swear).
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June Print Picks
June is here and I am loving the energy of the new month after a pretty sluggish May! To celebrate, I am sharing some uplifting print picks with the common theme of music. So, click on the link under each image to redirect to affordable prints that combine the joys of art and music. Go on, spoil yourself!
May – Claire Doyle
Visual Female of the Month for May is the fearless feminist, Claire Doyle. Claire is a multi-faceted artist from England whose work looks at gender and the body. This month I got to know more about the eloquent and passionate woman that is Claire Doyle. And you can too.
Genital Panic
Valie Export’s photograph Action Pants: Genital Panic shows her sitting with genitals exposed while pointing a gun at the viewer. Export’s work draws attention to the ideas of phallic power and whether it truly comes from biology or can be attained otherwise. Export showcases her lack of penis by exposing her own vagina but reclaims the gun as her phallic object and power. It was rumoured that this photograph came after a live performance, where Export walked around people seated in a theatre, her vagina at their eye-level, and pointed a gun at them while offering sex until the theatre was empty. This imagery reminds me of the film Magic, Magic where, post-hypnotism, the female protagonist walks into the room of a man who has been sexually harassing her (verbally) and rubs her naked vagina in his face, all while being asleep. The woman has no recollection of events the next day and appears mortified when the man confronts her about it. This scene acts to remind us that such overt sexuality is not ‘acceptable’ in a woman with both male anger and female humiliation driving this. Export’s photograph works in the opposite way, purposefully pairing femininity with macho aggression (common in a lot of her work) to blur set gender boundaries.
Performance artist and photographer, Claire Doyle, recently paid homage to Export’s work in her performance piece Habitual Body Monitoring: The Costume. Doyle draws attention to female body hair through her performance which you can watch above. The acceptance and freedom of female body hair has been gaining support in recent years with other artists like Petra Collins and Rhiannon Scnhiederman springing to mind.
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Alex Garant
Alex Garant is a painter that specialises in double vision. That is, in pretty much all of her work you will find at least two pairs of eyes. This disjointed, pop-surreal nature makes her work so captivating. When I was studying cinema at university, we made a surrealism film where we made use of layering shots and had several scenes where eyes (and other things) would float out of the character, sometimes floating back into place, sometimes out of shot. It looked pretty cool and helped to reimagine reality and we got an A for the final work! I imagine Garant would like the film and a little escapism from the daily drag. I’ve chosen a few pieces from her portfolio that I like, but you can see more here.
Land
I fell asleep
in the land
and when I woke
it had consumed me.
I wrote this super tiny poem about this image ‘Winter Migration’ by Belgian artist Sammy Slabbinck. Sammy’s collages are always really lovely and combine people and nature seamlessly.
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April – Marta Julia Piórko
Visual Female of the Month for April is the amazingly talented Marta Julia Piórko. Marta’s art is really fascinating. Her realistic style showcases animals and humans, sometimes interacting in interesting ways, and allows us to remember our own creativity as humans. You can check out the interview here.
Elleree Fletcher
Elleree Fletcher is a multi-faceted artist who works in paint, photography and collage. I was instantly drawn to her collages that pair young girls with older women to expose sexuality, femininity and the notion of influence. During my university days I studied subjects like the objectification of women in media and how society is so influenced by what we are exposed to, visually and otherwise. My sister, who has such a strong sense of self, still struggles to fully understand that people really could be so influenced by the media. I certainly remember striking poses as a young girl and wanting to be glamorous. In many ways it seems cute and innocent, but when Fletcher pairs these images with sexually-driven photographs from another era, innocence is lost and the more sinister nature is exposed. Now we see girls in training, smiling and striking a pose for the man behind the camera. A father who will one day be replaced by boyfriend, then husband – men forever infatuated with the female shell, intent on restricting it under the male gaze.
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Wonder
“You can’t let your curiosity die”
As The Visual Female developed I began including videos under the Move Monday section to embrace the moving image as well as the still. While those clips are highly driven by the visual – largely music videos – today I have something different (and amazing) to share. Wonder is a short documentary about last months Visual Female, Gina Martynova, directed by Jesse Brass as part of his ‘Making Art’ series.
Wonder is put together really well, allowing viewers to form a connection with Gina and gain more understanding of what she (and Starry) believe in. For Gina it is all about curiosity, the beauty in the fact that there is always more to discover in this world. You’ll have to watch to learn about Starry, but she seems pretty cool too. Wonder shows us Gina in her work and living space as well as beautiful close-ups of her art, something you can’t experience by simply seeing her work on the internet. This tasteful documentary is definitely worth a watch. And the best bit, Jesse has already made a bunch of films about other artists, some of which I am going to get stuck into now – the pink hues of Jen Mann are calling me in. So make a cup of tea (even if it’s hot outside) and relax while you get to know a few of the many amazing artists in the world bringing us joy through beauty.
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March – Lizzy Anderson
Visual Female of the Month for March is the lovely Lizzy Anderson of And Lizzy. Lizzy’s music and film inspired illustrations have a beautiful dreamy nature to them and each piece uses colour and line to create a strong mood relating to the artist involved. With soft hues and a general yumminess, Lizzy’s art is something you definitely must check out. Get to know more about her and her art at this months interview! xx
Sofia Bonati
I love Sofia Bonati‘s work. Her whimsical, sultry ladies and clever inclusion of weather make her beautiful style something to remember. Each time I see a new work I am just blown away and reminded how good her work is. I’ve chosen four images I wouldn’t mind having as art prints in my home. If you want to grab yourself an affordable print, click the name under the image to be directed to her shop where you can buy these ladies. Have fun – and the good news is, it won’t send you broke!
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Hannah Adamaszek
Living in Christchurch, New Zealand has its downfalls. After the February earthquake (22/2/11) a lot changed – buildings were gone and the perks of city life diminished. Places to eat, drink and spend the early hours of the morning are hard to find and they aren’t what they used to be – although the new scene that is (slowly) building is pretty nice. All it needs, in my opinion, is some more creative, unique people to occupy it. In terms of post-earthquake perks, the addition of visually spectacular street art has to be at the top of the list. Around the city are huge pieces of art scattered on old, brick walls as well as resting on slick walls of the very newest buildings. Street art is truly a wonderful type of art. It brings joy and creativity to otherwise bland landscapes and is always united by its distinct style. I recently discovered Hannah Adamaszek (online unfortunately, her work does not grace my city yet) who is both a street artist as well as painter and drawer. Her work is incredibly delicious. Bohemian energy and whimsical colours connect in her feminine art that focuses on the female face. Whether big or small, her women look pretty damn enticing. Here are a few pieces that stood out to me, but do check out her website for much more – it’s a lovely website and you can also get the link to her blog there. We might be two peas in a pod, as while Hannah makes all this amazing art she also co-runs an art blog to help support other artists. Pretty cool, huh?
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February – Gina Martynova
Visual Female of the Month for February is the beautiful and talented Gina Martynova. Not only a total babe, Gina is involved in both art and fashion with her whimsical energy translating to her feminine artwork that blends fantasy and reality. Gina is the creator of ‘Starry World’ – a place for her to express her unique cultural upbringing and ever-present day dreams. To learn more about Starry World check out this post, for this months interview click here.
Dusk / Dawn
Jen Mann is a portrait artist from Canada. Her large-scale paintings are visually stunning and always full of detail and personality. Colour plays an important role in her work with tones like pink or blue washing over faces and bodies. Other times animals connect with her subjects in a more dreamy style. Her recent work shows projected words cast across her subjects, all painted with perfection and resulting in realistic yet contemporary portraiture. These images (Dusk and Dawn) are some of her older work and were the first of her pieces that I came across. I still love them, especially Dawn (pictured second) – I guess I have never been much of a morning person.
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Ice
It’s been a while since I wrote a poem based on a piece of art. I had hoped to do this more on The Visual Female. So as it is a new year and I happened to be feeling inspired today I have written this small poem about this piece of art by Lente Scura.
It was cold
when you left
I was barely clothed
and my hair turned blue.
It was like you had cast
ice over me
and with each shiver
moved further away.
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Caitlin Shearer
“If i had my way i would move to the mountains tomorrow, buy a pet goat, and spend all my days painting pictures in a glass walled sunroom.” – Caitlin Shearer.
Caitlin Shearer is an artist from sunny Australia. Her work is really cool, both in style and subject matter – you can expect to see girls and plants and the occasional cat. I found some of her drawings on another website a few days ago which prompted me to google her. I was happy to find more of her work, with certain pieces having a bit more spunk as well as a feminist attitude. Really, I couldn’t have hoped for more! Her blog is filled with sketches, photographs and whimsical words (hence the pull-quote), making it one of those sites to linger on for hours while getting inspired. You can also buy limited edition prints here which I would definitely recommend doing.
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January – Janine Shroff
Visual Female of the Month is back for 2015. To kick off the year I talk with the super talented Janine Shroff. Her amazing artwork and illustration is packed with opinion, politics, humour and colour. So take a look and enjoy this thought-provoking interview here.
The Number 8
2015 means the world moves into an eight year, which is a good thing! Eight represents abundance, especially with finances. So we can hopefully expect pay-rises and general improvement when it comes to the material world. To acknowledge the eight year, I have selected eight pieces of art to show. All are different (and don’t relate to money) but let’s hope they bring some good fortune to us all!
In order: Charmaine Olivia, Ewelina Skowronska, Marianna Rothen, Jensine Eckwall, Joshua Pekter, Jenny Liz Rome, Dylan Forsberg, Jessica Singh
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you all! I wish you a happy, healthy, creative and fulfilling year ahead! Here’s an image by Hope Gangloff that made me think of the holiday season. I’m about to start my holiday, so here’s to lazy days and wine!
Three Wise Women
Who needs Three Wise Men when you can have Three Wise Women? In preparation for Christmas, here are some images that can help to get us into the season in a more contemporary fashion. Yeah, that’s right, with female power! I hope you are all looking forward to a great Christmas, whatever way you choose to celebrate! xx
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Kelsey Beckett
Kelsey Beckett is an amazing artist who works both digitally and in acrylics. She masters both mediums really well to create art that is provocative and a little bit dark. Here is a selection of digital pieces that really caught my eye (the first image is just brilliant). But be sure to take a look at her portfolio to see her paintings and much more work!
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December – Lucy Yu
Visual Female for the month of December is the talented illustrator and artist, Lucy Yu. Originally from New Zealand, Lucy now lives and works in Melbourne. But I thought it would be nice to end the year with an artist from my homeland, and Melbourne is still pretty close. What a year it has been – so many amazing interviews each month as my Visual Female’s continue to impress!
Lucy’s work is ultra feminine and dreamy, with beautiful women and animals combined to perfection. Take a look here. I look forward to sharing more great interviews in 2015! Until then, stay cool and keep supporting artists in any way you can! xx
Gina Martynova
Gina Martynova aka Starry Eyed Gypsy is a multi-faceted artist who is skilled in both illustration and fashion design. Her latest work, ‘Starry World’ is inspired by Tibetan Buddhism, especially the use of female buddhas in this culture. Martynova has a diverse cultural background, being of Russian and Chinese decent and living in Thailand for most of her years until pursuing her own travel to New York, London, Moscow and India. Her work explores multicultural beauty, drawing from her personal experiences as well as those she encounters on her travels. A bit of a day-dreamer, Martynova’s work is filled with whimsy and self-expression, while in each work there is also a lot of symbolism, all of which combines to express her unique position in this world. These stunning images are from her ‘Starry World’ series.
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Marguerite Sauvage
Marguerite Sauvage is a French illustrator who has a great portfolio of work, even doing some work for New Zealand (my homeland) clients. I recently found these two illustrations and something about them appealed to me more than Sauvage’s usual work. Both pieces have a political purpose – the first is against child slavery and the second is against harm to the environment via the overuse of plastic. I love the vibrant colour and find both images very captivating, as well as a little haunting with the use of the skeleton. The touch of death adds an important reminder about time and, for me, reminds us that what we do on this planet reaches a lot wider and longer than our own existence.
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Prue Stent
Photography student, Prue Stent, is pretty much amazing. Her latest series, Pink, explores what it means to be a woman through questioning contemporary beauty standards. Women, body parts and other objects are used, along with the beautiful colour pink. Her work is truly captivating and Stent explores her subject matter with perfection. Here are a few snaps that I adore, but to see the rest, plus her other outstanding series, then visit her website for all that goodness. Enjoy! x
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November Print Picks
Here’s a selection of art prints I think are pretty cool. If you also think these are cool then click on the link (the talented artists name) to be taken to the magical place where you can purchase them. All are really reasonably priced, so why not spoil yourself or a loved one? With Christmas coming it’s pretty much the ideal time for shopping and supporting artists. They all really appreciate it, I guarantee you. xx
November – Meloncholy
Visual Female for the month of November is the talented artist that goes by the name Meloncholy. Her work is fun and creative with a psychedelic energy that will let your mind wander. Connecting music with detailed illustration, Meloncholy’s artwork is truly captivating. Take a look at her style, as well as her engaging interview here. You won’t be disappointed! xx
Howard Tangye
Howard Tangye is an Australian-born artist who creates some amazing work, despite finding the life of an artist quite demanding. As an artist myself, I can relate to the demands of the job, the emotional highs and lows and the constant battle for something always out of reach. Tangye loves the body and line, using his skill to create expressive drawings with a depth of emotion and intrigue. I really love these two pieces because they remind me of Egon Schiele, who, as I’m sure you all know, I simply adore. If you check out his website you will see a lot of the Schiele influence, especially in the male figures (which I couldn’t include here!). I would easily put both these pieces on my walls. Much love and appreciation for Tangye! x
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This vs. That: Round Twenty
Oh my, This vs. That has hit twenty! That’s a lot of ermming and ahhing and analysis. This time I am looking at two striking images with the connection of fringes and actually quite a lot more. Mario Sughi takes on former Visual Female of the Month, Kaethe Butcher in a sexy showdown. To see this battle take place all you need to do is click this swanky little link. It might just change your life (unlikely, but you never know!)
Check out Round Twenty: Fringes here.
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Round Nineteen: Nymphomaniac, Round Eighteen: The Mouth, Round Seventeen: Louise Brooks,
Say it with Words
From top to bottom: Cara Delevingne wearing Self Evident Truths ‘We are One’ campaign t-shirt, Amanda Charchian portrait by Ben Cope in Discount Universe dress and Shae Acopian Detar photography.
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October – Babi Tubelo
Visual Female for the month of October is the talented artist and illustrator, Babi Tubelo. Babi’s art is whimsical and wonderful, with a dreamy, feminine energy. Born in Brazil, Babi incorporates her own culture into her work as well as drawing inspiration from Japanese prints and her love of Cubism. Check out the interview here.
Nikita Kaun
I came across some of Nikita Kaun‘s work a few moments ago and thought I just had to share some! I really love the darkness and evocative energy in each piece. Kaun is a self-taught artist working in Russia, which seems exactly like the right thing she should be doing judging on what I have seen so far. Enjoy and happy weekend to you all. xx
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Abbey McCulloch
Australian artist, Abbey McCulloch, describes her art as simple, illustrative and quirky. These three pieces I have chosen fit that mould, but also have a strange femininity attached to them, and in some ways, connect to my last post on Martine Johanna. Each woman is a little warped through the amazing painting style McCulloch uses. Their energy seems to be zapped, like they have given up trying. Yet, at the same time, I see a mischievous energy that lets me know they are not dead, but simple sighing at the world, enjoying some relief before battling on as Woman once more. The amazing hues of pink and yellow as well as the interesting compositions make these pieces of art well worth investigating. I certainly love them and hope you do to. Spend some time to absorb their energy and see how you feel. Happy Monday everyone! x
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The Grand Illusion of Sanity
The amazing Martine Johanna is currently exhibiting at Walls gallery, Amsterdam. Her exhibition ‘The Grand Illusion of Sanity’ looks at the history of women being made to feel like they can’t speak, that their minds are not sound and the misconception of female hysteria. These issues are really important as (sadly) many women still battle with them today. When we speak up it is easy for men to say we are ‘crazy’, ‘on the rag’ and other grossly untrue comments used to try to ‘put us in our place’ (The kitchen? The bedroom? Certainly not in front of a microphone or keyboard. I should get a wrist slap right now!) I have always enjoyed Johanna’s work and especially love these pieces from her current exhibition. I hope you do too! Oh, but whether you do or don’t, make sure you don’t say something hysterical, it’s only art after all!
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Self-Centred
It has been a while between posts, but I’m using my 26th birthday as an excuse. The celebrations kicked off on Saturday with a birthday brunch with my family, followed by a sunny day with friends and bubbles. For my actual birthday on Monday I had a combination of work, short-story editing, beer, amazing food, more bubbles and great company. Considering it has been all about me, I thought I would showcase some of my artwork this week. It’s been a while since I’ve showcased my personal work so here’s a look at a range of my more recent work. To see more you can check out my website or follow me on Facebook for regular updates. That would make me happy. Peace and Love xx