Archive for February, 2011

Nature's Icy Abstract Art | Flickr – Photo Sharing!

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

Nature’s Icy Abstract Art. … natural abstractions (Group) · Abstracts (Group) · Winter’s Best (Group) · Ice Photography (Group) · New Abstract Vision Group (Group) · Ice-Snow-Water-Mountains-Glacier… (Group) …and 2 more groups …

Wardyworks Blog: DJ Hero 2 concept art – Ibiza Disco

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

DJ Hero 2 concept art – Ibiza Disco. The first venue in the globe trotting career mode in DJ Hero 2: Designed with fellow environment artist Phil Bale at – http://philbale.blogspot.com/ – So check his site for more. …

Art fairs from Art Calendr

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

Art fairs are taking place all over the country, and are especially popular during the summer months. Affordable Art Fairs is a contemporary art fair founded by Will Ramsay in 1999. The aim of the fair is to make contemporary art accessible to everyone, not just millionaires and the well off. In 1996, Mr Ramsay opened ‘Will’s Art Warehouse’ in south west London to bridge the increasing interest in contemporary art and the London gallery scene.

By concentrating on relatively unknown artists not carrying a premium for reputation, the gallery was able to offer works from £50 – £2,500 from a stable of over 150 artists. The response to Will’s Art Warehouse encouraged him to take his approach to the next level, and in October 1999, he launched the first Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park. 10,000 visitors took advantage of the ease of buying, breadth of choice, affordable prices and user-friendly approach.

Will launched a second event in Battersea Park, London in 2001 to showcase the Spring Collection, with different artists from the previous collection. The art fairs now fetch over 23,000 people in London to enjoy the art exhibited by 120 British and international galleries. In the same year, Mr Ramsay launched a fair in the West Country and it now takes place every May in Bristol.

Affordable Art Fairs, or AAF as it has been branded, has also become something of a global phenomenon with fairs taking place in Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, New York and Singapore, while affiliate events include Sydney and Melbourne. Globally, 650,000 people have visited an Affordable Art Fair, buying over £100 worth million of art.

ArtCalendr is freelance article specialist who writes articles on Art. A special recommendation from Art Calendr, for more information on Art fairs and Art Workshops please visit www.artcalendr.com

Coral Garden by Candice Gawne

Oceans Four—Mixing Media, Annenberg Beach House latest exhibition in Santa Monica brings together works of Santa Monica artists Dave Quick, Frank Rozasy, Elena Siff, Elizabeth Comay, South Bay artist Candice Gawne and San Gabriel Valley artist Arthur Nakane who use various mediums to depict and reflect the coastal community on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. In an interview with Voice of Santa Monica’s Natasha Garyali, artist and curator David Quick talks about the conceptualization of the Oceans Four exhbition, various mediums employed and what should the visitors expect at this unique exhibition.

Voice of Santa Monica: Tells us about the upcoming exhibition, Oceans Four – Mixing media. How was it conceptualized?

David Quick: I answered the Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs calls for submission for curators for the Annenberg Community Beach House and the criteria stipulated Los Angeles Artists only, and a thematic regard for the Beach House setting. I contacted a number of artists I have known for years whose portfolio includes art addressing, what I call our “coastal culture.”

Voice of Santa Monica: Has this topic being explored before or is this the first time?

David Quick: The Annenberg space is fairly new and to my knowledge previous exhibits have focused upon two-dimensional art. To that degree, one curatorial objective is to expand the visitors’ thinking to consider many other creative media available to artists and in this instance, how it somewhat relates to our station on the rim of the Pacific Ocean which just happens to be the largest known body of water in the universe. Regarding found objects, oceans are unique geography as they provide a steady supply of curious objects along the coast as any beach comber can tell you.

Voice of Santa Monica: What are the various mediums employed?

David Quick:The work (six artists total) divides between two-dimensional, three-dimensional and performance media. Two-dimensional includes Frank Rosazy’s photographic and acrylic works and Liz Comay’s charcoal and chalk compositions. Liz has two additional works that are wax relief images transitional to three dimensions. Candice Gawne’s light sculptures make extensive use of neon and plasma light. My work and that Elena Siff is assemblage of found objects while Arthur Nakane is a performance artist with a fantastic music machine cobbled from an array of found objects as well.

Voice of Santa Monica: What is unique about these exhibits?

David Quick: Each artist brings a unique perspective regarding our coastal culture. Frank Rosazy’s visceral works are core Santa Monica images. I particularly like his jumbo rendition of a “Pacific Ocean Park Ticket” recalling the long lost pleasure pier that used to extend out over the Pacific, a nostalgic icon for longtime local residents.

Liz Comay’s “Darwin’s Nightmare Series” are skillful charcoal and chalk fantasies of fish life merged with ocean flotsam and jetsam, a powerful environmental statement and certainly the most political work of the show in a city known for its political activism. Candice Gawne’s marvelous neon and plasma sculptures evoke the bizarre luminescence of undersea life not only in form, color and texture, but in a sense of fragility. Candice has been working in glass and neon for decades and just this year one of her works was acquired for the permanent collection of the Corning Museum in upstate New York. I have two pieces in the show. One is homage to the late Michael Rosenthal, founder of the Santa Monica Mirror newspaper, who succumbed to cancer last year. The second is a whimsical work that recalls a real event in a place called the Surf Museum. In 1989 surf music legend Dick Dale donated his first guitar to the Surf Museum and darned if it wasn’t stolen! Elena Siff joins the show in the glass display case with a delightful menagerie of found object seascapes, and with a co-collection of found boats also in the display case that includes hers and mine.

Arthur Nakane completes the artist group. His One-Man-Band act has been running of the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade for years. For the average visitor to our shoreline, street performers are the dominant “art and culture” experience and as curator of a show addressing our “coastal culture,” I included Arthur as representative of the impromptu troupe that shows up daily to entertain.

Voice of Santa Monica: Which exhibits would you recommend and why?

David Quick: It is a small space with limited works per artist so I hesitate to recommend one body of work over the others Collectively, my hope is that visitor will think both two-dimensional art and beyond.

Oceans Four – Mixing Media

December 9, 2010 – March 13, 2011

Open Monday, Saturday & Sunday 10am – 4pm

 

Natasha Garyali is an independent multimedia professional and former broadcast journalist who has reported on media, education and human interest issues in India and the United States. A Santa Monica resident she maintains an extensive network of contacts in the community and serves the community with her hyperlocal weblog,

Create Your Own Abstract Painting

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

Of all the art styles available to try, probably the easiest one to tackle is abstract art. I am not an artistic person, and if I tried to draw or paint an apple, you probably wouldn’t know what it was without a couple of guesses. I am sure with some lessons I could learn to do better, but it sounds like a frustrating experience. However, creating your own abstract painting can be fun for even the non-artist.

So, what do you need to get started? A decent beginner paint brush. Be careful, like any hobby, you can spend a lot of money, but avoid this temptation to get “the best” available. You can spend a lot more money later if you really enjoy painting. Next, you need some paint. I would recommend acrylics, though oil paints work also. I have even heard of people using latex house paints for an abstract painting. Last, you need a medium to paint on. Canvas is most people’s first instinct, but it can also be expensive. A good quality paper will work, but there are many other options such as wood or metal (after all, it is abstract!).

Now that you have the basics, it is time to get started. One great thing about abstract art is that it is based upon feelings and being able to express them through painting. Having a strong imagination and some natural creativity really help. You need to be able to put together different colors, textures and shapes to express how you feel.

There are a couple of ways to proceed, but one thing to remember is that there is no absolute correct way to create an abstract painting, you have to find what works best for you. Some people like to have an object in mind and then abstract it by imagining the object as a blur and then painting the shapes and colors that stand out.

Other people like to listen to music that reflect their feelings and then let the beat, tempo and rhythm dictate the speed that they paint, the colors that they use, and how they apply it to the canvas.

I like to close my eyes when I paint, I find that I can let my true feelings come through easier instead of worrying about what the paint looks like on the canvas. Plus, I love the surprise when I open my eyes!

With an abstract painting, you can also vary how you apply the paint to the canvas. You don’t have to just brush it on. You can do what is known as “action painting”, this is when the paint is spontaneously applied to canvas using such methods as dribbling, splashing, and smearing. You can also use other items besides just a paint brush to apply the paint.

The main thing to do is to have fun, to create something that you like. You are not going to create a master piece worth tons of money, there are a lot more rules and professional knowledge that an accomplished artist puts into his work that qualifies it as great art. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t dabble in the artists world and create your own abstract painting for your own enjoyment.

To get some great ideas to create your own abstract painting, visit an art gallery online. Many feature multiple great artists who specialize in abstract painting.

Gismonda Art Print Poster by Alphonse Maria Mucha

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

  • Title: Gismonda (Theatre De La Renaissance)
  • Artist: Alphonse Maria Mucha
  • Size: 8 x 24 inches
  • High quality print on semi-gloss photo paper. Printed with UV protected inks.

Product Description
Showcase your space with Postercartel’s wide selection of high quality giclee art prints. This UV resistant print is available on the material of your choice. Select from semi-gloss photo paper, matt cotton archival paper, or stretched and mounted artist’s canvas (ready to hang). Your artwork is shipped in a heavy duty container to ensure the safe delivery of your purchase. With so many great images, Postercartel makes it easy to add zest to your living space, offic… More >>

Gismonda Art Print Poster by Alphonse Maria Mucha

Framed Art Pictures for a Modern Decor

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

Modern decor is based on the old adage “form follows function,” and thus its hallmark is a minimalist approach with clean lines and open spaces. However, modern decor isn’t meant to be stark but rather welcomes an infusion of character and your own personal style into the design. One way to accomplish this is through the incorporation of framed art pictures into your decor. Art can add so much to a design space in terms of color, theme, and form. Many associate abstract art prints with modern decors, but in this type of design scheme you’re not limited at all to that particular art style. Here are some great ways to incorporate different art prints into a modern decor.

Purely Modern Design

Pure modern decor strives for an uncluttered look, with an emphasis on functionality and a minimum of excesses. What results are simple designs with easy accessibility and lots of space to move around in. Colors reflect this, relying heavily on a neutral palette with strategically placed splashes of hue here and there. And even in small rooms, a feeling of openness is often achieved through the use of color, fabrics, furniture, and lighting that offer the illusion of space.

In order for framed art pictures to enhance a purely modern design, they must replicate these modern values. The focus here should be on simplicity; you don’t want anything too vibrant or showy. Modern art prints such as Tango in Red or Tango Argentina by Misha Lenn offer clean forms with just a splash of color and can be hung as a series on a bare wall. Another great choice is the geometric simplicity of prints such as Alfred Gockel’s Circle of Love I or Unity by Monica Stewart. Abstract and colorful prints such as Rex Ray’s Acapulco One can even add that splash of color that makes a modern decor really pop.

The Eclectic Approach

The great thing about modern style is the flexibility it offers, resulting in room designs that reflect your personal tastes. Here, you can create a sophisticated eclectic look, mixing and matching modern and traditional pieces and fabrics for a complex, rich style. The key here is to avoid creating a jarring feel in the room. Select pieces that are similar in terms of line and style, and place transitional elements throughout the room to help things flow.

In an eclectic modern decor, a wide range of framed art pictures can be used depending on the style you want to create. Fortunately, there are plenty of modern art prints to choose from. Just be sure that the lines, forms, and colors in the painting complement the look you’re going for. Many Picasso prints go great with an eclectic decor, reflecting the richness of traditional elements combined with the simple lines and forms that define Picasso’s modern style. Choose from prints such as Blue Nude, c. 1902 or The Dream. Other fine art pictures that would fit well with this design are Diego Rivera prints and those by Sam Toft.

A modern decor can be incorporated in so many different ways into your home. By choosing framed art pictures that enhance the style you’re going for, you can create a unique modern look all your own.

Elizabeth Fenworth writes about issues involving decor and design as well about fine art and photography for Framed Art Pictures. Framed Art Pictures is proud to offer a selection of over 200,000 art prints and posters along with the option to custom frame and canvas your art prints. You’ll receive fast shipping on all orders and most items are 1/2 off traditional retail prices. Explore the possibilities of decorating with elegant art prints today at Framed Art Pictures.

The Ever Living One: Back: Traffic: Conceptual Art in Canada

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

‘Traffic: Conceptual Art in Canada 1965–80′ was an ambitious exhibition, the first major account of conceptual art’s development in urban centres across the country. Curated by Barbara Fischer, Jayne Wark, Michèle Thériault, …

nevertheless: Black Liquid; abstract media art

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

Black Liquid; abstract media art · Dimitry Zakharov is a practicing video producer and designer that creates amazingly entertaining animations and videos by using 3D and 4D Cinema software’s. Black Liquid is a fluently evocative …

The Museum Of Modern Art (MoMA) New York City ~ The Most …

Posted by admin On February - 19 - 2011Comments Off

The Museum of Modern Art (stylized MoMA) is an art museum that has been singularly important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world.