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.
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.
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.
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!
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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Vitalik Dumyn
Vitalik Dumyn is an artist from Ukraine who works mostly in water-colour and pencil. While I can’t find too much information about the artist, I stumbled upon these red and blue pencil drawings which I find quite cool. The layering creates an anaglyph 3D effect – I wonder if you looked at them with 3D glasses if anything would change? The energy each subject exudes is strong and feminine making the collective series quite powerful. It would appear that Vitalik is relatively new to the art word (online, anyway) so I look forward to seeing how his art develops. From my experience, the first few years can be quite varied and experimental as you are waiting to find your distinctive style and aesthetic. I’m two (serious) years into my art and, while always experimenting and trying new things myself, my style is definitely formed and recognisable. For any of you reading this who don’t know what my art looks like, you can take a look on my recently updated website to get acquainted! For those of you that know my work already you can just relax and enjoy these striking images below.
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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.
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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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
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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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,
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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September – Alejandra Sáenz
Visual Female for the month of September is up today for your viewing pleasure. Alejandra Sáenz is a talented graphic designer and illustrator from Venezuela. Her emotive, dark art is strong and captivating and well worth checking out. Get to know Alejandra a little more by reading her interview here.
Adara
I found these dreamy, fantastic illustrations today by Adara Sanchez Anguiano. My first introduction was a heavily pierced vagina, which Art for Adults is sporting as their phone backdrop. I had to look further and get to know this artist – anybody with this aesthetic has got to be good. I was a little disappointed there were no more vaginas… turns out this is a recent project, so there may be more risqué (as the artist calls it) pieces to come. I did find some delicious feline and female combinations which reminded me of JAW Cooper, as well as some sketches that embody an Egon Schiele energy. Great influences or what!? Let me know if you are loving this work, as I most certainly am. xx
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David Bray
David Bray is one truly talented artist. His amazing pen and pencil drawings are detailed and emotive, making them significant both for the technique and content. I have selected a few pieces that appeal to me, but with such a great portfolio you really should check out his other work where you can see more variety in mediums. I love drawings that are evocative. The way Bray balances detail with raw artistry results in his work being a captivating, aesthetic experience that is most certainly evocative. Enjoy!
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Dark
Here’s a quick curation of five images that work beautifully with each other. They are all a little dark and mysterious as well as being utterly feminine. In order: Ellen Rogers, Feline Zegers, Paulina Otylie Surys, Mira Nedyalkova and Sam Weber.
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This vs. That: Round Eighteen
It’s time for another This vs. That. Today I look at the The Mouth as subject matter and compare some interesting images while trying to understand what they are saying while evaluating their aesthetic and technical quality. I really love both images and analysing them helped me gain a better understanding. But, with what I consider quite open, or complex pieces up for discussion, I’m sure there is always something I’m missing. Take a read and let me know your opinion of Round Eighteen: The Mouth.
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Round Seventeen: Louise Brooks, Round Sixteen: Tattooed, Round Fifteen: Additions,
Den of Foxes
I really enjoy this piece by Mandy Tsung. It is a little bit different to other work of hers that I have shared in that there is quite a complex background and story going on, but what really makes the piece stand out to me is how well the wood grain works as the wall. Amazing. In terms of subject, the woman is empowered in her sexuality which is always great to see. How she holds the fox tail reflects the ease with which women can gain control over men (shown as a butler here, a literal servant) by using one’s sexuality. A good, interesting piece to wrap up the week. Enjoy.
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Shen Plum
I stumbled upon Shen Plum‘s work today and was rather happy to have done so. As an illustrator, Plum has a lovely, varied portfolio which you can see here. I have selected three pieces that I enjoyed that also fit within The Visual Female’s aesthetic. Overall, her work is quite playful and fresh, which is never a bad thing! This first piece was done for Bitch Magazine, which is pretty cool! (Check out the mag if you are unfamiliar – lots of great articles and feminist opinions to keep your brain ticking). Enjoy xx
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Anya Brock
Anya Brock creates amazing art and has a huge portfolio of work to choose from! I really love her ‘Painted Girls’ so these are what I am showcasing today. The Australian artist not only paints beautiful women but fun birds and animals. Australia has a lot of natural wild life and some pretty crazy birds so I can see where Brock may have found some inspiration. What I love about her work is the amazingly vibrant colour combinations. Each piece strongly connects to one another, but in each work there is also a uniqueness. Sexy and creative, Brock’s work captivates the viewer and leaves them empowered and alive. Her work reminds me of a fellow Australian artist, Mike McClean. He works in a similar manner, creating fun colours and textures to add an edge to the women he paints. Brock’s work is certainly polished and she has a distinctive style. Maybe one day when I have a fancy house I can hang some of her art, or better yet get her to paint an entire wall. She does work on large-scale pieces from time to time (there’s a few snaps of her murals at the bottom of this post). Enjoy! x
Murals…
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Kemi Mai
I’m so in love with the stunning digital portraits Kemi Mai creates. At only 18 years of age, this British artist is sure to become a huge success. Each portrait has an intensity that really draws the viewer in. Mai places her female subjects in somewhat surreal settings to create a slightly off-beat images. The recurring turtle necks and plain jumpers create a carefree, yet slightly unsettling element that makes me think these girls are from a different time; certainly not your everyday, ordinary women. I love how captivating her work is and the realistic, digital style works really well will the subject matter. So excited to have found a new favourite! I look forward to seeing how this young artist progresses in her career. To get to know Kemi Mai a bit more, her Tumblr page features lost of Q+A and other insights, which you can check out here.
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Body Fashion
I came across the wonderful collaboration between artist, Janine Rewell, and shoe designer, Minna Parikka, and just had to share the images. Inspired by her latest footwear collection, Rewell approached Parikka and the two worked together to create these stunning adverts which showcase the essence of the footwear, as well as making the shoe the only actual garment in the shot (clever advertising).
The final images reminded me of the my Klimt Again post, in which Klimt inspired clothing was photographed on matching materials and backgrounds to connect the whole image. Work by Gorman has also been showcased here which has a similar vibe, with outfits photographed in front of matching backgrounds. With Gorman, however, the clothing was actually inspired by the art (awesome). With Rewell, the shoes inspired art, but what makes the art so cool is that is becomes one with the body. I wonder why I haven’t seen something like this before? Certainly worth the time and effort that would have gone into designing the patterns and then executing them onto a human figure. I also love the way the shots have been layered over each other. It reminds me of an all glass mirror that has angled edges that reflect in this way. A really creative, fun idea and a refreshing and engaging way to advertise. You can take a look at a bit more of the process below.
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Milo Manara
I was rediscovering some of the images from my Copy Klimt post today and remembered Milo Manara. The Italian artist and comic book writer creates illustrations and art with a unifying erotic element. While I am yet to discover all his wonderful work (made harder by the fact that all pages about him seem to be in other languages!) his Sensualitars book seems extremely engaging and I would love to get my hands on a copy. The book looks at the relationship between artists and their models and covers a wide period of art history. He works in various mediums to express each artist and pay tribute to the models who inspired many of the great pieces we still love today. In addition to the art, Manara provides a written commentary on the relationships and connections as well as his personal thoughts. I found a few images which showcase Manara’s work alongside the artist he is recognising (Manara on the right, artist on the left), but the book has 44 original images in total.
Milo Manara – Sensualitars (Inside Cover)
Edvard Munch
Gustav Klimt
Egon Schiele
Raphael
Gustave Coubet
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Hsiao-Ron Cheng
Taiwanese artists, Hsiao-Ron Cheng, creates amazing surrealist portraits that connect to childhood and express the distinction between animals, nature and children. Executed wonderfully, her work is fascinating and intriguing. Hsiao-Ron Cheng was awarded the Young Illustrator Award in 2012, and I can easily see why. Not only is her subject matter majestic but her style adds an eerie aspect that is often present in contemporary Asian art. Here are a few pieces I like, but definitely check out her website to see all aspects of her work.
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Fashion Week with Conrad Roset
Pretty impressed with the work Conrad Roset is producing for London Fashion Week. Prints are now available for sale which I would highly recommend checking out. They are all really superb and I like the added edge they have over some of his other work. Here’s a few sneak peaks, but honestly go have a look and splash out and buy something if you can!
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Joseph Martinez – Miniatures
I found the work of Joseph Martinez and was blown away. I love how people can work in such small spaces to create breathtaking art. A while back I showcased, Elsa Isabella and her paper dolls (teeny, tiny pin ups in charcoal) and when I saw this work by Martinez I couldn’t help but compare the two. Not that I want to compare and contrast anything. Just I suppose they remind me of each other – wondrous small-scale beauty. I love the use of the matchbox. Clearly we can understand the scale of image by our knowledge of matchboxes, and there is something vintage and nostalgic about having the actual matches there. I reminder of our past, teamed up with contemporary women in art. The frailty of it all is quite outstanding.
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Nadiia Cherkasova
I’m loving this piece by Nadiia Cherkasova. I always enjoy the ‘unfinished’ look where not all parts or painted or executed to the same degree. In this instance, it works perfectly. The essence created in the face combined with the detail of hair, and then empty space in the hair, the way the collar is filled in but the shirt is only gives a suggestion of pattern and colour. I could go on. Cherkasova’s work has a lovely ethereal nature to it, and this piece especially has a nice fragility to it. I wonder why she signs next to an apple? Can only make me (the feminist thinker) remember Eve and the Garden of Eden. Maybe it aids in the fragile nature of this piece. Before long all the easiness and beauty will be gone.
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This vs. That: Round Sixteen
Time for this months glorious This vs. That. Today I look at some of Ruben Ireland’s art in tattoo form. Quite interesting and worth having a look if just for the tattoos. Get reading Round Sixteen: Tattooed and have a think about what piece of art you would have tattooed if you could. Would it reproduce well or would it be just too hard? I always thought something by Man Ray would be pretty cool. Enjoy
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Round Fifteen: Additions, Round Fourteen: Red, Round Thirteen: Kindgoms,
Jennifer Healy
I love this piece by self-taught artist, Jennifer Healy. The medusa aspect is pretty subtle, which is nice and refreshing. I also like the colour choices – pink and orange instead of the tradition green and brown. I don’t know if this is a good thing, but it also reminds me of how I have been feeling a bit lately! Headaches, headaches and a few more headaches. And just to make some potential headaches, we are once again in the throes of Mercury Retrograde. Hopefully it passes smoothly and brings positivity (like it can) rather than total chaos! Jennifer works in colour pencil (a medium I have never tried, but imagine is quite difficult) to create her wonderful art.
Here are a few other pieces that stood out to me when I was doing a little research on this talented lady. A pleasure to view, and a pleasure to share.
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February – Chloe Sawyer
It’s that wonderful time again. Yes, the time to share the thoughts of another talented lady with a connection to art. This month it’s Chloe Sawyer, an artist with a love of lines, whimsical nature and our humanity. To check out Chloe’s work and read her interview (a pretty inspiring and truthful read) then click on this link.
This vs. That: Round Fifteen
Time for this months This vs. That. My template decided not to open, so I made a new template for today’s post. Might mix it up each month from now on, or go back to normal next month. Will have to see what the world wants me to do.
Anyway, Round Fifteen: Additions is up now. The first for 2014 – I hope you like it!
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Round Fourteen: Red, Round Thirteen: Kindgoms, Round Twelve: Pattern
Andrea Hrnjak
I recently found Andrea Hrnjak‘s illustration and was immediately impressed. Her work is both feminine and evocative, taking beautiful women and empowering them with animal connections. Some are kind of tribal whereas others seem more modern and contemporary in subject matter. But all her stuff is great. She shared this beautiful piece on her Facebook today, wishing all her followers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It’s titled ‘We Own the Sky’ which is quite fitting for me as my friend gave me a cute folder for my birthday that says ‘La Nuit est a Nous’ which I recently discovered translates to ‘We Own the Night’ (similar enough!)
Here is ‘We Own the Sky’ (top image) and a few others I have saved over time. Enjoy, and I hope you are all having wonderful relaxing Sundays before the fun and chaos(?) of Christmas gets going.
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She Sleeps with the Fishes
This is my first blog collaboration with the talented and lovely Sonia Sly, from Sly on the Wall.
What we are aiming to do is bounce creative ideas off one another to create posts that fit under the same title or theme and showcase our own take on the subject, dependent on personal style, mood or favourite form of aesthetics. For this post Sonia chose the title ‘She Sleeps with the Fishes’ and was inspired by a recent photographic outing as well as some memories. After hearing the title I immediately knew a few artists with water or fish aspects I would have to share. I have done a few water / sea related posts in the past, so it was a little challenging to find new pieces rather than the classic wonders I have already showcased. But it is always great to go fishing (great pun, right?) for images and rediscover old favourites as well as new, fresh artists and images.
Enjoy my take on ‘She Sleeps with the Fishes’.
Audrey and Kelly have recurring themes of water wonderlands in their art, while Courtney and Rohan just happened to have captured this fishy fantasy in their trademark styles. For fitting the title I have to say that Rohan Daniel Eason’s piece pretty much matches perfectly (a woman in bed with a magic floating fish – rather ideal). But for a more sensual connection to the overall vibe the title evokes in me I would have to go with Audrey Kawasaki. Her women are so wonderful and really own any environment they are in, water or otherwise.
To see Sonia Sly’s take on the title, visit her post here. I haven’t even seen it yet, so I am excited to see how similar (or how different) our takes on ‘She Sleeps with the Fishes’ are. I’m looking forward to more collaborations and exchanges of ideas and images with Sonia. Make sure to connect with her via FB or her blog, or keep visiting here for our collaborations and links.
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Firestarter
This is a recent piece done by myself. I had fun experimenting with a quick pen drawing to add some energy and essence to the piece. I still like the original pen drawing, but somehow along the way I turned this girl into a bit of a fire starter. I think she could also be used to represent Carrie. Perhaps I should create a movie poster for the film using this image. Thoughts?
Anyhow, hope you like, and all have a great weekend!
It’s also Friday the 13th again (twice this year that I have noted!) so incase you missed it, check out my post Friday the 13th
The original pen drawing below
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Simone Klimmeck
Berlin-based artist Simone Klimmeck creates stunning illustration and mixed-media works. Her aesthetic is feminine and fierce at the same time which gets The Visual Female’s seal of approval. Beauty, colour and texture bring these pieces to life. I love the combination of grayscale media with the vibrant prints and patterns Klimmeck chooses. To see more of her work visit her website.
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Illustrators (Kelly Thompson looks up to)
I read an interview with the delectable Kelly Thompson today featured on a new-found goody, Sly on the Wall. One aspect of the interview (and interviews in general) I enjoyed was hearing what illustrators Kelly looks up to and finds inspiring. It always interests me to see if artists like other artists that are similar to them (hence they were probably inspired by them initially) or whether they love work that’s different to their own.
I guess with me I don’t emulate any artist that I really like. One reason would be that there are far too many I like (check how many amazing artists I have posted on this blog so far!) and another reason would be that I’m far to spontaneous to dedicate time to emulation. I can hardly do any repeat styles in my own work, so throwing in another artists style would be way too much. Unless you think I’ve been inspired by anyone? (Let me know). I’m sure we all are in some shape or form. But some artists really work to develop their own personal style, which is admirable. Others want to explore and develop others styles, always adding their own unique spin. This work is also pretty great.
But back to my point, Kelly listed a few illustrators she finds inspiring, so I checked them out and found a few pieces that I thought were pretty cool too. Surprisingly, I hadn’t heard of any of them! (But I did recognise the piece by Vania Zouravliov, which I’m sharing here). Had you? Do you see any similarities in Kelly’s work that could have resulted from these illustrators as a source of inspiration? I can in a couple.
Eirian Chapman
Craig and Karl
Vania Zouravliov
Richard Gray
Malika Favre
Coles Phillips
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This vs. That: Round Fourteen
Time for this months This vs. That. For the month of November I look at some simple black, white and red pieces (from Mariam Tronchoni and Sofia Bonati) that use eyes in rather different ways. Check out Round Fourteen: Red to see these images in full, and hear my thoughts on who delivers the best piece. Today was an easy choice for me, but will it be for you?
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Round Thirteen: Kindgoms, Round Twelve: Pattern, Round Eleven: Realism,
Asunder on Sunday
Something little dreamy for your Sunday. This piece is called ‘Asunder’ and is by the wonderful Kelly McKernan.
1. Into separate parts or pieces
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November
Visual Female of the Month for November is up. This month I share the art of the lovely Candace McKay (no relation!). Candace is a 19-year-old self-taught artist, whose work is feminine and fun – think vibrant colours and fantasy settings with beautiful, intriguing women. I really lover her style and find it quite distinctive and unique. I hope you all enjoy it too. To check out her work and read her interview click here.
On another note, there is only one more Visual Female of the Month left for this year. I know, can you believe it?! How time flies. I’ll be keeping an eye out and hoping to showcase someone special for December. If you know anyone whose work just blows your mind, let me know! I love to discover new art and artists.
XOOOOX
XOOOOX is a street artist from Berlin. His work is pretty wonderful – not only in aesthetics, but also because of what he is trying to communicate. Beautiful women stenciled onto grubby walls and surfaces. They are life-sized – I can only imagine their impact in real life. He takes photographs of models, styles and directs them how he wants, and uses them for his stencils. The message he wants to share: the beautiful illusion of the fashion industry with the alternate, commercialised reality. The women vs. the wood.
I find this quote explains him a little better than I can (my impressions are only recent).
“Beguilingly beautiful, XOOOOX’s women convey a sense of melancholy and introversion and allude to the growing displeasure with the uniform, consumption-driven hype of the fashion industry. Using transitory media such as exposed building facades, worm-eaten wood, rotting fabric and rusty metal, XOOOOX grounds this apparently glamorous theme in the street, but the artist’s aim is not to deconstruct fashion culture. XOOOOX pays homage to traditional haute couture while levelling criticism at the over-industrialization of fashion as a cultural artefact of our time.”*
I like the visual impact and style of the work, and coupled with the message, find his work fresh and interesting. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for what is next for the man with no name, XOOOOX.
*See the rest of the feature on XOOOOX here
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