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    Wondrous and Mischievous Misfits Populate Rhea Mack’s Bubblegum Daydreams

    All images courtesy of Rhea Mack, shared with permission

    Wondrous and Mischievous Misfits Populate Rhea Mack’s Bubblegum Daydreams

    April 4, 2025

    ArtIllustration

    Grace Ebert

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    On candy-colored paper, Rhea Mack draws a world in which all misfits are welcome. The Massachusetts-based artist lovingly renders curious characters with three heads, flowers growing from their palms, or a penchant for plump, strawberry hats.

    Mack has a soft spot for these strange oddballs who develop organically, often springing from her Sunday morning sessions seemingly on their own accord. “I usually start drawing, and they just kind of develop over a few hours. I sometimes have a certain feeling or pose in mind, but mostly I am just making it up as I go,” she says.

    This intuitive, accommodating attitude influences much of her process, including the decision to draw on pink paper simply “because it made sense,” she says. Mack chooses other materials similarly. “The colored pencil pinks I use in my drawings are very buttery and just feel nice to draw with,” she adds.

    As if emerging from a favorite fairytale—creating a children’s book is on Mack’s mind—the drawings twist common plants and animals like dogs and daisies into surreal fantasies. Each is packed with small moments of intrigue and playful patterns like stripes and dots.

    In one work, for example, a full human skeleton and dozens of single eyes float from a figure’s gaze, while a pink pup leaps overhead. Another features a quintet bound by a rainbow dress, their bulbous, beige coifs fused together like the clouds above.

    Mack’s solo exhibition Massachusetts Dreaming opens next week at Kyst Gallery in Dragor, Denmark, and is on view through May 8. Find prints in her shop, and follow her work on Instagram. (via WePresent)

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    Otherworldly Flowers Emerge from Darkness in Clara Lacy’s Meticulous Graphite Drawings

    “Hypnos.” All images courtesy of Clara Lacy, shared with permission

    Otherworldly Flowers Emerge from Darkness in Clara Lacy’s Meticulous Graphite Drawings

    April 1, 2025

    ArtNature

    Kate Mothes

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    Nature has always been a subject of fascination for Clara Lacy, who roamed the fields and streams around her home in Hampshire when she was young, spurring an interest in studying biology. Art also emerged as a way for her to channel her interest in animals and plants, tapping into the long-held tradition of artists documenting flora and fauna for science.

    As she moved around to different parts of the world, with stints in Hong Kong and Sydney before returning to the U.K., Lacy absorbed each place’s variations in botanical life, weather, and light, inspiring a body of work that reflects on climate change, species loss, and “the need to find balance between humans and nature,” she says.

    “Thanatos”

    The World Has Dropped Its Petals is a series of elaborately detailed graphite drawings illuminating the world of flowers. In heavily contrasted grayscale, the blooms are devoid of the bright colors we typically associate with their petals and foliage, instead highlighted by an array of textures and naturally occurring patterns.

    “I’ve always been drawn to monotone work for its subtle tonal variations, offering a contrast to the bombardment of colour and light around us, all vying for our attention,” Lacy tells Colossal. She was drawn to graphite because its limited palette helps the subject to stand out through contrasts like delicate lines or deep blacks. She’s also interested in how graphite is often overlooked in fine art, classified typically as a sketching material rather than a standalone medium.

    Lacy titles her pieces after characters in Greek myth like Thanatos, the personification of death, and twin brothers Nyx (Night) and Hypnos (Sleep). She uses her own photos for reference, collaging and layering components in Photoshop until she finds an overall composition that resonates. The World Has Dropped Its Petals draws inspiration from stills lifes of the Dutch Golden Age, too, characterized by dark backgrounds from which flowers or fruit appear to pop in brilliance.

    The series is on view through April 13 at James Gorst Architects in London. Lacy has also started working on a new project exploring time and aging, which emphasizes zoomed-in views of flower fragments. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

    “Heimarmene”

    “Helios”

    “Nephele”

    “Selene”

    “Elpis”

    “Nyx”

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    Nøne Futbol Club’s ‘Hot Wheels’ Drive at the Dualities of Systems and Society

    Detail of “Work n°144 : Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters each. All images © ADAGP, Paris, 2025, courtesy of Nøne Futbol Club, shared with permission

    Nøne Futbol Club’s ‘Hot Wheels’ Drive at the Dualities of Systems and Society

    February 13, 2025

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    Combining sculpture and performative interventions, Nøne Futbol Club—sometimes referred to as Nonefutbolclub—expresses conceptual messages through ephemeral objects and time-based actions. The name is the alias of Colas Claisse, who co-founded the project as a collective but now works solo under the moniker. The initiative continues to delve into potent dichotomies like tragedy and humor, vulnerability and security, disruption and calm, and politics and fiction. 

    “Nøne Futbol Club’s work may sometimes make you smile, but it can also be serious,” says a statement. “It highlights the violence inherent in our world, where speed and productivity are seen as all-powerful.” The artist describes the project’s role as one that “takes hold of our immediate environment,” expressing social divides and examining socio-political issues with a spark of wry humor.

    Installation view of “Work n°144 : Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters each

    An ongoing series of sculptures assume the form of tires fashioned from wooden rings. Scorched with fire, the series Wheeling and dealing includes multimedia works all titled “Work nº144: Hot Wheels.” The pieces appear in the guise of Cooper or Pirelli racing tires, yet upon closer inspection, they reveal their surprising composition. Layered meanings emerge through the flames, which initially create, and in some cases destroy, the works.

    Each life-size wooden object is made from sliced tree trunks that have been carbonized, producing the rich, black texture and facets redolent of treads. “Since a tree does not grow from its core but from the periphery of its trunk, the cracks resulting from combustion are created concentrically,” the artist says, describing how the resulting patterns mimic brand new, rubber car tires.

    A double entendre in the sense that the sculptures refer to the American toy brand of the same name and the literal temperature of the pieces as they burn, the artist plays with perception by creating a material that pretends to be another.

    Nøne Futbol Club continues to revel in this subtle deception, trapping the spectator in the simulacrum: “Subjected to form but destroying function, Wheeling and dealing introduces the silent unease of a double game: real tire or wood? Voluntary combustion or fatal car accident?”

    Detail of “Work n°144 : Hot Wheels”

    The series also spawns drawings made from charcoal chipped off of the sculptures when handled. Video works, such as the half-hour piece included below, chronicle the tires’ destruction in atmospheric landscapes. Bespoke molds cast tire shapes in plaster, aluminum, and—coming full circle—rubber. And later pieces incorporate puddles of metal underneath the tires, symbolizing overheating as the rims melt and serve as a display pedestal. Literally and figuratively a loop, the pieces define the cyclical nature of much of Nøne Futbol Club’s practice.

    The artist describes his approach as a “systematic hijacking or reversal of the system,” tapping into the powerful symbolism of objects that are burned or smashed amidst revolt. “Faced with a sense of powerlessness, car vandals and rioters seek an accessible way to convey a radical message,” he says. “As the embodiment of a comfortable and cushioned system, the car is a perfect target.”

    Nøne Futbol Club is slated to show work at Iconoscope Gallery in May in Montpellier and at MacBar in September in Lyon. Find more on his website and Instagram.

    “Work nº144: Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), burnt wood on paper, 100 x 77 centimeters

    “Work n°144 : Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters each

    “Work n°144 : Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters

    “Work nº144: Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), burnt wood on paper, 100 x 77 centimeters

    Still from “Work nº144: Hot wheels (Dompcevrin I)” (2017), video, 18 minutes, 23 seconds

    “Work nº144: Hot Wheels” from the series ‘Wheeling and dealing’ (2017), burnt wood, 28 x 82 x 103 centimeters

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    Three Women Artists Gather for The Jaunt and Hashimoto Contemporary’s ‘Winter Camp’

    Seonna Hong, “Rest as an Act of Defiance” (2024), acrylic, oil pastel, and tape on raw canvas, 51 x 65 inches. All images courtesy of The Jaunt and Hashimoto Contemporary, shared with permission

    Three Women Artists Gather for The Jaunt and Hashimoto Contemporary’s ‘Winter Camp’

    December 12, 2024

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    Through a unique collaboration between The Jaunt and Hashimoto Contemporary, three women artists spent a week together in the small town of Shelton, south of Olympia National Park.

    Hiking, delving into the area’s history, and learning about each other’s work, Bianca Nemelc, Genevieve Cohn, and Seonna Hong participated in the first Winter Camp. Given space and time away from their daily routines, the artists were invited to find inspiration from their new surroundings.

    Genevieve Cohn, “We Sow a Softness” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24 inches

    The Jaunt was founded in 2013 by Jeroen Smeets, who curates the project and facilitates travel for artists to destinations worldwide. The program doesn’t assign a specific agenda or brief; the primary goal is to provide new experiences that inspire the creative process.

    Cohn, Hong, and Nemelc focused predominantly on painting and works on paper, responding to the act of gathering and the lush, natural environment of the Pacific Northwest.

    “Sharing common threads and divergent paths amongst each other’s experiences as artists and women navigating the world, the week-long residency allowed artists from different locales, backgrounds, and generations to create community,” says a statement about the program.

    Winter Camp is on view at Hashimoto Contemporary’s San Francisco location through December 21. Find more on the gallery’s website, and you can also explore more from The Jaunt.

    Bianca Nemelc, “Sun Catcher” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 50 x 60 inches

    Seonna Hong, “Get Your Bag” (2024), acrylic and oil pastel on raw canvas, 30 x 24 inches

    Genevieve Cohn, “To Hold, To Harbor” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

    Bianca Nemelc, “Flower in Breeze” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 inches

    Genevieve Cohn, “Exercises in Attention” (2024), acrylic and conté on paper, 30 x 22 inches

    Seonna Hong, “Investigations” (2024), acrylic and oil pastel on raw canvas, 30 x 24 inches

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    Colossal’s Top Articles of 2024

    Image courtesy of Wally Dion

    Colossal’s Top Articles of 2024

    December 10, 2024

    ArtColossalDesignHistoryNaturePhotography

    Colossal

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    Throughout 2024, we were awed by archaeological finds, vibrant paintings, striking sculptures, remarkable photography, immersive installations, and so much more. It’s tough to choose only 10 top articles for the year!

    Lucky for us, dear Colossal readers, you’ve helped pick the best. Below, dive into our most-read stories on the site during the past twelve months, and find hundreds more in the archive.

    “Untitled (after François Gérard)” (2023), oil on canvas, 100 x 80 centimeters. Images © Ewa Juszkiewicz, courtesy of Almine Rech

    Ewa Juszkiewicz’s Reimagined Historical Portraits of Women Scrutinize the Nature of Concealment

    From elaborate hairstyles to hypertrophied mushrooms, an array of unexpected face coverings feature in Ewa Juszkiewicz’s portraits. Drawing on genteel likenesses of women primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries, the artist superimposes fabric, bouquets of fruit, foliage, and more, over the women’s faces.

    Image courtesy of Greg Jensen

    A Rare Cross-Section Illustration Reveals the Infamous Happenings of Kowloon Walled City

    At its height in the 1990s, Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong housed about 50,000 people. Its population is unremarkable for small cities, but what set Kowloon apart from others of its size was its density. For a now out-of-print book titled Kowloon City: An Illustrated Guide, artist Hitomi Terasawa drew a meticulous cross-sectioned rendering of the urban phenomenon to preserve its memory.

    Image © Isak Finnbogason

    Remarkable Drone Footage Captures a New Volcanic Eruption in Iceland

    In January, photographer and drone pilot Isak Finnbogason captured stunning footage of an eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula in December, documenting the nearly two-mile-long lava vent on the first day it was active. 

    “Water Lilies in Bloom” (2023), oil on canvas. Image courtesy of Erin Hanson

    Landscapes Radiate Light and Drama in Erin Hanson’s Vibrant Oil Paintings

    In vivid pinks, blues, and greens, radiant landscapes emerge in Erin Hanson’s impressionistic oil paintings. The artist is based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where the rolling hills and surrounding mountain ranges cradle miles of vineyards.

    Image © Richard Johnson

    Framed by Frozen Lakes, Richard Johnson’s ‘Ice Huts’ Capture Wintertime Communities in Canada

    Every year, Ontario’s 279-square-mile Lake Simcoe draws more people for its ice fishing than any other lake in North America, attracting upwards of 4,000 huts each year. The colorful villages caught the eye of Toronto-based architectural photographer Richard Johnson (1957-2021), who captured hundreds of the structures, from the artistic to the ad-hoc, in a series of bold portraits taken between 2007 and 2019.

    Image courtesy of the Italian Ministry of Culture / AFP Photo

    Archaeologists Discover an Extraordinary 2,100-Year-Old Mosaic Near the Colosseum

    Early this year, we shared news that the Italian Ministry of Culture had a remarkable find in the heart of Rome. In the late Republican era, a luxurious townhouse had been laden with designs made from shells, glass, white marble, and Egyptian blue tiles. A large “rustic” mosaic dating to the last decades of the 2nd century B.C.E.—a little over 2,100 years ago—was likely inspired by the decorative styles of Near East monarchies.

    ‘The Whole Booke of Psalmes.’ London: Company of Stationers, 1643. Image courtesy of The Grolier Club

    Spanning Seven Centuries, ‘Judging a Book by its Cover’ Celebrates an Enduring Art

    The Grolier Club’s exhibition, Judging a Book by its Cover, highlighted some of the most unique editions within its collection, including a pigskin- and brass-bound Jewish Antiquities and the Jewish War created for a Benedictine monastery in Bavaria around 1473—the oldest in the club’s library. The collection also features several religious texts, like the miniature book of psalms shown above, made by women at the Royal Exchange in London with a variety of silk and gold threads.

    Image courtesy of Wally Dion, shared with permission

    Vivid, Translucent Quilts by Wally Dion Stitch Together Indigenous Culture and Making Traditions

    For many rural and economically strapped communities throughout history, quilting was a necessity. Tattered clothing and blankets were cut up and refashioned into new blankets, their patchwork styles evidence of the fabrics’ earlier uses. For Indigenous people, though, quilts “hold a particularly important cultural value,” says artist Wally Dion, “appearing as gifts, ceremonial objects, and celebratory markers.”

    “লয় [Loy]” (2019), Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club, Kolkata. Photo by Vivian Sarky. Image courtesy of Asim Waqif

    Immersive Bamboo Installations by Asim Waqif Whirl and Heave in Monumental Motion

    In his monumental, swirling structures, Delhi-based artist Asim Waqif merges tenets of architecture and sculpture into sweeping site-specific compositions. Using natural materials like bamboo and pandanus leaves, he often incorporates found objects, scaffolding, sound elements, cloth, and rope.

    “Animal in the Wind” (2014), clay, 36.7 x 20.8 x 30 centimeters. Image courtesy of JiSook Jung

    From Fire to Wind, JiSook Jung’s Ceramic Sculptures Animate the Elements

    JiSook Jung has long been drawn to clay for its inherent malleability. “Clay has the advantage of being able to quickly mold an image in my head into a visual form because it is soft and plastic,” the Seoul-based artist tells Colossal. “In that sense, I think clay is an intuitive and instinctive material.”

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    Michael McGrath Summons Symbolism and a Folk Art Style in Expressive Paintings

    “Unearthing Buried Gods.” All images courtesy of Michael McGrath, shared with permission

    Michael McGrath Summons Symbolism and a Folk Art Style in Expressive Paintings

    November 6, 2024

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    From fanged cats and all-seeing ravens to anthropomorphized botanicals and disembodied faces, Michael McGrath’s uncanny works nod to the symbol-rich, flat compositions of folk art or “naïve” painting. His mixed-media works combine materials like graphite, oil paint and oil stick, ink, and acrylic on a variety of surfaces, including wood, canvas, and burlap.

    Inspired by the expansive scenes of contemporary artists Peter Doig and Mamma Andersson, and self-taught artists Henry Darger (1892-1973) and William Hawkins (1895-1990), McGrath harnessed a narrative approach in his own practice. “I decided to experiment with figures and storytelling in my painting,” he tells Colossal. He also counts Jim Henson among his influences.

    “Threats and competition for tiny vampires” (2023), graphite, colored pencil, and India ink on wood panel, 14 x 11 inches

    Populated with an array of characters, from trees with alarmed expressions to tiny, fairy-like black critters with bulbous wings and long legs, McGrath delves into mysterious, emotional tales with plots as enigmatic as they are supernatural.

    The artist’s interest in painting evolved from an early fascination with design, especially album covers and advertising in magazines like Spin and Thrasher. “I never had the patience to develop classical skills, so I focused on dimensional and collage work for a while, until I eventually decided to invest more time in painting,” he says.

    McGrath’s work will be part of an online group show with MePaintsMe, Slight of Hand, which opens on November 12. In February, he will also have pieces on view in a group show at Court Tree Collective in Brooklyn. Find more on his website and Instagram.

    “Monster control, future systems No. 3,” (2024), acrylic, oil stick, and oil on canvas, 78 x 120 inches

    “Night float, threat window” (2024), oil and oil stick on canvas, 60 x 48 inches

    “Hunting songs” (2024), oil, oil stick, and grease pencil on linen, 30 x 24 inches

    “Muppet moon nightmare choir” (2024), acrylic, acrylic yarn, embroidery thread, painted canvas, and burlap on burlap, 40 x 30 inches

    “Moon float” (2024), acrylic, watercolor crayon, enamel, and oil pastel on canvas, 60 x 48 inches

    “Stories to frighten your children with and dangerous literature” (2023), oil, oil pastel, and acrylic on linen, 30 x 40 inches

    “Cat song, moon riot, No. 2” (2024), oil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

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    Mingle with Maurice Sendak’s ‘Wild Things’ at the Denver Art Museum

    Installation view of ‘Wild Things.’ All images courtesy of the Denver Art Museum and the Maurice Sendak Foundation, shared with permission

    Mingle with Maurice Sendak’s ‘Wild Things’ at the Denver Art Museum

    October 29, 2024

    ArtIllustration

    Kate Mothes

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    This holiday season, immerse yourself in the dynamic, theatrical world of Maurice Sendak at the Denver Art Museum in Wild Things. Organized in cooperation with the Columbus Art Museum, where a sibling exhibition was presented two years ago, Wild Things celebrates the characters that have accompanied millions during story time since the mid-20th century.

    The author and illustrator of perennial classics like In the Night Kitchen (1970), Outside Over There (1981), and, of course, Where the Wild Things Are (1963), Sendak was born in Brooklyn in 1928 and began illustrating children’s titles in 1947. He was largely self-taught and illustrated hundreds of books throughout his six-decade career.

    ‘The Magic Flute’ (1980), poster, 24 x 17 1/2 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

    Sendak produced an astounding array of drawings, paintings, mockups, and set designs and costumes for his books, along with their adaptations to stage and screen. He was also an avid collector of other renowned illustrators’ works, and viewers can see pieces from Sendak’s personal collection by the likes of William Blake, Beatrix Potter, Walt Disney, and more.

    Wild Things continues through February 17. Plan your visit on the Denver Art Museum’s website.

    ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (1963), watercolor, ink, and graphite on paper, 9 3/4 x 11 inches. © TheMaurice Sendak Foundation

    Sketch for ‘The Griffin and the Minor Canon (1963), graphite on tracing paper, 11 13/16 x 8 15/16 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

    ‘Outside Over There’ (1981), watercolor and graphite on paper, page: 15 x 26 inches; image: 6 1/8 x 93/16 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

    ‘Pierre’ (1961-2), ink on paper, 4 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

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    Narsiso Martinez Exalts the Individuality of America’s Farmworkers in ‘Joyfully Grown’

    “Delano Grapes” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, acrylic, and simple leaf on grape box, 16 x 24 x 5.5 inches. Photos by @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong. All images © Narsiso Martinez, courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, shared with permission

    Narsiso Martinez Exalts the Individuality of America’s Farmworkers in ‘Joyfully Grown’

    September 18, 2024

    Art Social Issues

    Kate Mothes

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    “In the Works,” the centerpiece of Narsiso Martinez’s solo exhibition at Charlie James Gallery, spans three walls and is made from dozens of found produce boxes. At the center of the piece and above a doorway is a long table resplendent with apples, kiwi, oranges, and grapes, all crowned by a chandelier.

    Flanking the dinner, farmworkers climb ladders or sit on the ground, sorting the harvest into the very boxes the composition is made from. Back in the center, the faceless attendees at the table enjoy the literal fruit of the workers’ labor.

    “In the Works” (2024), acrylic, gouache, charcoal, collage, and simple leaf on produce boxes, 178 x 305 inches

    In Joyfully Grown, Martinez (previously) continues his exploration of the labor system, relationships, and power imbalances. He taps into his experience emigrating from Oaxaca when he was 20 years old, determined to find a more sustainable livelihood in the U.S.

    Martinez finished high school at 29, then went on to study fine art in college. While he pursued an MFA, he began working seasonally in eastern Washington’s sprawling apple orchards where he became acquainted with other farmworkers and learned their stories.

    The artist was struck by how individuals in America’s agricultural system, whose intense physical labor the entire framework relies on, go unseen by those who depend on freshly stocked produce in the supermarket.

    “Resist” (2024), ink, charcoal, and simple leaf on strawberry box, 20 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches

    Beginning with photographs, Martinez employs visual languages of prestige—drawing specifically on Catholic portraiture’s emphasis on luxurious fabrics and backgrounds of gold leaf—to empower and uplift workers.

    In “Resist,” for example, a young man is portrayed within the frame of a berry box, backed with gold and wearing a graduation gown. The cap encircles his head like a halo, invoking the divine and signaling the glorious potential of education.

    By elevating the humble cardboard box to the status of picture frame and depicting hardworking people in their esteemed individuality, Martinez scrutinizes who and what society values.

    Joyfully Grown continues through October 26 in Los Angeles. Explore more of Martinez’s work on his Instagram.

    “The Planning” (2024), ink, gouache, charcoal, acrylic, and simple leaf on berry box, 15.5 x 20 x 4.25 inches

    Detail of “In the Works”

    Detail of “In the Works”

    “Blue Joy” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, acrylic, and simple leaf on blueberry box, 16 x 23.5 x 5.5 inches

    “Fresh is Our Favorite” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, and acrylic on red seedless grape box, 24 x 16.5 x 6 inches

    “Embracing Future” (2024), ink, charcoal, and simple leaf on orange box, 23.5 x 16 x 6 inches

    Collaboration with Ashley Jose-Isip, “On the Grass” (2024), ink, gouache, charcoal, and simple leaf on grape box, 15.75 x 23.75 x 5.5 inches

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