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      Gradients of Thick Petals by Artist Joshua Davison Are Layered Precisely with a Palette Knife

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      Art

      #flowers
      #painting

      July 22, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Blue Hydrangea.” All images © Joshua Davison, shared with permission
      Joshua Davison’s three-dimensional hydrangeas and other blooms began as an exploration of color theory. “As my thought process and work has developed, these flower studies have evolved into a complex balancing act between symmetry, saturation, and contract,” he tells Colossal.
      Based in New Zealand, the 23-year-old artist has honed his process, allowing him to produce thick-petaled flowers with a single palette knife. He uses a combination of oil and acrylic paints and builds them up in layers on a solid canvas to create each sculptural piece. Always sticking to a tight color palette, Davison sometimes utilizes precise gradients to capture every shade of blue and purple.
      The artist sees a strong tie between art and nature and strives to be incredibly realistic. At this stage in his practice, Davison is focused on mastering form and methods.  “I develop most of my techniques exempt from external influence,” he says. “We are so saturated with content of all kinds that I think in some ways it can stunt our creativity. I think it’s so important to consistently disconnect and explore concepts in your own mind.” While he considers nature to be art’s foundation, his details his approach to originality as follows:
      As a traditional painter, I also think it can seem as though we live in a world where everything’s already been done. I believe the term original is very loosely thrown around these days and that true originality is incredibly rare but something that can be worked towards and earned. The prospect of one day achieving truly original work is the single biggest motivator for me as an artist.
      Some of Davison’s vibrant blossoms are on view at Flagstaff Gallery through July 26. If you’re not in New Zealand, head to Instagram to keep up with his latest projects. (via My Modern Met)

      “Gray Flower Wheel”
      “Black Flower Wheel”

      #flowers
      #painting

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      Delicate Paintings by Lee Me Kyeoung Detail the Small Convenience Stores Throughout South Korea

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      Art

      #painting
      #South Korea
      #stores

      July 20, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Peach blossom store” (2020), acrylic ink pen on paper, 122 × 122 centimeters. All images © Lee Me Kyeoung, shared with permission
      Peeking through peach blossoms or nestled into a snowy landscape, the tiny shops that Lee Me Kyeoung renders are found across South Korea, from Mokpo to Jeju and Seoul to Gapyeong. The artist already has spent decades speaking with the store owners and weaving their stories into her delicate paintings as part of her ongoing A Small Store series. Her most recent works encapsulate the experience of standing in front of the establishments by capturing every detail: the multicolored goods evenly stacked, advertisements posted in the windows, bikes parked out front, and the sloping tiled roofs.
      Me Kyeoung’s work recently culminated in a book detailing the still-open locations for those interested in visiting the shops in person. The prolific artist also shares updates on future exhibitions, in addition to photographs of the original stores she visits, on Instagram.

      “Jeongdeun store” (2020), acrylic ink pen on paper, 122 x 162 centimeters
      “Korye store” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 65 x 65 centimeters
      “Woori store at Haenam” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 56 x 115 centimeters
      “Shingur store” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 75 x 135 centimeters
      “Store at Haman” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 75 x 135 centimeters
      “Sinheoung store” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 49 x 86 centimeters
      “Deayul store” (2019), acrylic ink pen on paper, 60 x 73 centimeters
      “Chestnut tree valley store” (2020), acrylic ink pen on paper, 120 x 180 centimeters

      #painting
      #South Korea
      #stores

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, apply for our annual grant, and get exclusive access to interviews, partner discounts, and event tickets.

       
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      Explore the Traditional Art of Ebru as Garip Ay Creates Entrancing Water Paintings

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      Art

      #painting
      #video
      #water

      July 18, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      
      Based in Istanbul, artist Garip Ay (previously) utilizes traditional ebru techniques—a method of paper marbling that involves dripping oil paint into water—to create rich artworks with incredibly complex motifs. Ay’s process recently was captured by Great Big Story in a short video that walks through his studio and documents how the artist seamlessly morphs one work into another with just a few hand motions.
      After completing a piece on the water’s surface, Ay transfers the image to paper, wood, or textiles by dipping it in and slowly pulling back. Despite the meditative quality of his movements, though, the artist shares the pressures of the medium. “When people watch ebru, they think it is relaxing and soothing, but it my personal experience, it is really stressful. While doing ebru, you have control problems because you’re doing something on water,” he says. As shown, a drop too many could alter the entire piece.
      Ay shares many videos and photographs of his vibrant paintings on his site, and more of Great Big Story’s projects can be found on YouTube.

      #painting
      #video
      #water

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, apply for our annual grant, and get exclusive access to interviews, partner discounts, and event tickets.

       
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      Vivid Paintings by Artist Jessica Spence Highlight the Beauty of Black Hair

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      Art

      #beauty
      #hair
      #painting
      #portraits

      July 13, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Braids and Barrettes” (2018 ), acrylic on canvas. All images © Jessica Spence
      Through stunning renderings of Black children and women, Jamaican-American artist Jessica Spence explores the beauty of finished braids, twists held in place with plastic barrettes, and perfectly laid edges. Her acrylic paintings generally depict a single subject, who often is turned away from the viewer, centering the hair and how it’s presented rather than the person’s face. Spence focuses on the intricacies of each lock, comparing the styling process to that of painting. “I nurtured each brushstroke like I would a strand of hair, a two-strand twist, or a braid,” she shares with Colossal.
      Based in New York, the artist imbues her paintings with social commentary derived from her own experiences and from those around her. She considers the impossibility of beauty standards, by saying:
      I was inspired to create my current body of work on Black hair in response to the discrimination and chastising experience of many Black women and girls in spaces such as the workplace or schools… The paintings show the beauty and versatility of these hairstyles and highlight the significance of hair in Black culture, while also highlighting these intimate experiences and routines of daily life.
      For more of Spence’s vivid depictions, follow her on Instagram, where she often shares news on upcoming exhibitions and prints available for purchase. (via The Jealous Curator)

      Left: “Twists and Barrettes” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. Right: “Laid” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches
      “Sore Arms” (2017), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches
      Left: “Fearless/Fear-Less” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 inches. Right: “Weekends at Auntie’s” (2018), acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches
      “Sunday Evening” (2017), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

      #beauty
      #hair
      #painting
      #portraits

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, apply for our annual grant, and get exclusive access to interviews, partner discounts, and event tickets.

       
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    • 200 Shares179 Views

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      In Bright Paintings Full of Color, Artist Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe Depicts Black Subjects in Gray

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       “Sitter” (2019), oil on canvas, 86 x 54.75 inches. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer. All images © Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, shared with permission For Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, pastel backdrops and numerous shades of orange, blue, and pink directly connect to the Black subjects depicted in his oil paintings. […] More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

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      Ornate Fabrics Cloak Models in Disquieting Portraits by Artist Markus Åkesson

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       “The Grove” (2020), oil on canvas, 180 x 140 centimeters. All images © Markus Åkesson, shared with permission Swedish artist Markus Åkesson enshrouds his subjects in elaborately patterned silks and satins, leaving only the impression of their faces, limbs, and torsos visible. An extension of his ongoing Now You See Me series, the artist’s latest paintings […] More

    • 188 Shares199 Views

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      Organic, Sunrise Gradients Mask Front Pages of The New York Times by Artist Sho Shibuya

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       All images © Sho Shibuya, shared with permission For many people, blocking out the news has meant logging off of Twitter and resisting the urge to check every breaking update. But Sho Shibuya has taken a more literal approach to the stress-reducing action. The Brooklyn-based artist and founder of the design studio Placeholder has taken […] More

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      A Surreal Watercolor by Illustrator Marija Tiurina Captures a Miscellany of Thoughts in Quarantine

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       All images © Marija Tiurina, shared with permission If Marija Tiurina’s latest watercolor appears to be a random mishmash of dreamy scenes, that’s because it is. The London-based illustrator (previously) recently completed “The Lockdown Project,” a dense composition inspired by dozens of submissions she collected during the first few weeks of quarantine. Complete with childhood memories, […] More