Draw.

This lady makes me want to draw.

Daisy Fletcher has a fairly obvious skill with the old pencil. Delicate. Slender. Detailed. It forces me to remember the fact I am capable of detailed accurate drawing and I should perhaps consider doing some before I lose all classic abilities entirely. Though it doesn't sound like it, I enjoy old school drawing. In fact, pride myself when it goes well. I just get far more interested in cardboard. and buttons. and bits of cork. fit.

Charming.

I believe Alan Baker has changed his name to charming. I have to be honest. Makes me like him more. The feel of the website is far removed from the general reserved, slick or formal vibes you get when visiting others. This is refreshing as it appears to be work on a purely commercial scale. No bending over for the rich who may wish to purchase some work. Though of course, it was the work which fundamentally caught my eye. Not only do a few pieces appear to masquerade as creations on cardboard (unfortunate reality:linen) but the painterly quality holds definite traces of classic training/awareness. Think the word, quality, sums it up. But with a twist. This isn't the average artist who is merely capable of using oil paint. The content is entertaining and potentially unexpected. Traces of dark humour, sex, a mockery of various elements/personas in society, some form of political address, yet any serious undertone is diminished by either a hidden element of amusement within the work or the general overview of works.




This man has something to say. It resides in his observations of various elements around him. Yet hes not taking it to seriously. This is the kind of shiz I'm well keen on beyond cardboard. KEEN.

Play, create, collapse.

Ian Wright is something I aspire to be... His entire work ethic appears to be based on playfulness, lack of technology skills, discovering results/visual effects by accident and a constant strive to push the work into a new arena.



I want his life. Perhaps I'll befriend him. Quite fancy some time in New York. He has an air of success. The website doesn't exactly imply this by any means. Perhaps it is simply my own personal reaction to these works. It is almost hard for me to comprehend who would not like it. Again, simplicity, creating a face from badges of faces. The literal thinking. I also like the above image. 'If you could do anything tomorrow- what would it be?' Made of beads. tremulous. Fully lacking in permanence. Pain staking. RESPECT for the effort behind these works. I should maybe consider teaching myself to acquire better levels of patience. And then my crucial talent of wonder will be born.

Bullets.

Lisa Solomon caught my attention as she appears to be one of the most focussed in choice of media and practice. She sews. As a method to draw. The actual images of shooting practice sheets grabbed me initially. The very act of using your choice of media to not only create an artwork out of an everyday object but to also conceptually mend and restore an object fully struck a chord. the aesthetics, the thinking.




Plus an example of the intricate drawings created, the hanging threads cause me to like her work even more. The full on revolt of the perfection so many artists are incapable of letting go. These images would be less, far less, if they did not have these elements. Fit media. Cardboard could feel a threat.

Carolina Melis.

Check out here for a collection of pretty creations. Particularly taken with the pattern designs. Using photographic images interwoven with the delicate lines holding everything together.

Bizarre.

Aj Fosik. I can't quite bring to mind why exactly I'm mega keen on these. Perhaps following on from a feeling of respect for the painstaking detail and skill involved with Callesen and his paper. This guy takes it to a whole new level. But I'm pretty keen. Fairly sure on a few levels these creatures disturb me. Its maybe that odd sensation that causes me to revisit and review. It is like no other. Faintly reminiscent of children's old school games/crafts/models, yet a new take on it. Unique. Odd. Vaguely unsettling. Quite a presence. Think its the look in their eyes.

Paper Play.

Now this man. Peter Callesen, I adore. These delicate little creations display such an insane amount of patience and devotion to learn a craft to this level I wouldn't particularly mind if the objects cut out were ugly as hell.





And the fact is. They are quite beautiful. Make me want a talent. A skill. Lets get a whole talent for Balderston. Beyond cardboard appreciation. and the odd button.

Bufardeci

Louisa Bufardeci, face value. Very colourful interesting mixed media installation illustrator artist. Yet the concepts behind the work are playful, refreshing, with a strong emphasis on the political. Not only do the choices of media interest me, the thought and process behind the works which seem to link seamlessly to her own particular style almost baffles. Though I happily confess I am relatively content in merely creating images with very simple stimuli, I do often feel I could benefit from more. Provide myself with a level of depth, with an awareness of what exactly is going on around me and formulate opinions to be displayed in a creative format. huzzah.
These particular works are fragments of sound waves of antiwar speeches given at rallys. The concept is simple, effective, it works. Think as soon as I start taking myself seriously I apply some form of pressure to overcomplicate things, further degrees of analysis, questions, second guessing. This needs to stop.

Bowley.

Obvious button connection. Eleanor Bowley. But beyond this. Think it appeals visually due to her choices in composition and detail. Which elements are chosen/omitted to create specific areas of detail. Her overall style has obvious lines of interest through the fact she draws with thread. And it looks good. The visual textures here make me pine to try an entirely new visual tact and experiment. This is why shes here.

Klingels.

Izzie Klingels. quite a mixture of projects, medias, areas. Her style struck me as something intrinsic, detailed, traditional. When in fact the full scope of works applied to by this practitioner is wide reaching, well researched and very up to the mark. An impressive display of diversity and broad talent.




However, I did find myself disappointed in times by some of the works discovered. The quality did not seem inherent throughout yet get the vague impression this is not through inconsistency, more so the wide ranging areas, briefs, clients which this illustrator works to. Which in turn potentially prevents an overall style inherent in other mega fit arty websites.

Eduardo Recife.

A particular favourite of mine. especially due to the fact it is simply an act of love. No clients. No desire to carve a huge a career. Just an illustrator doing their thing. They're in pretty books too. A form of artistic photo montage/collage. They also hold a narrative, potentially giving something extra. I honestly should consider having a voice on something. Check it out.

Higgins.

Nick Higgins. It looks scratched. From a distance, random splodges. But something definitely attracts me here. Be it a connection to spirograph or the brigh colours, there is something. There is no doubt a large section of this interest resides in the energy evident in some of these drawings. Which causes the word 'scratched' to be provoked once again. Though at first glance the dots may appear almost childlike in simplicity and concept, when in context to further drawings or even regarded in detail it provides a whole new element. Frustration. Passion. Again, this person does not care about drawing outside the lines. The lack in perfection is ultimately refreshing.

Otto.

Otto, predominantly print based illustrator. Very definite style. Wide ranging score of clients. Many projects. Years of work and development can be seen. Though the work has an obvious element of reused/old images, the aesthetics of the print, plus the actual use and style of print is not necessarily straight forward. Alot of print I have witnessed seem to appear from lazy artists where they do not consider the introduction of complexities within pure print based artworks. They also seem to strive for absolute perfection. Otto does not seem to do this. It is a pleasure to see and the aesthetics are one step beyond the slick bland works I have become accustomed to. the colour balancing is also damn impressive.






Watched him for a few years now. Had the pleasure of meeting him at an art fair where he was selling a few limited edition books and prints. His insight on the industry. Believe, move to where they are, keep trying, work hard, spend days just waiting. This illustration shiz is not something to be taken lightly. I got the impression it takes resilience, skin of stones, and confidence. I have never concerned myself with dreams of living of money made through my images. I doubt I would ever have the patience. Or the ability to tailor my visuals to the needs of others. Let me make this clear, I am not looking for a job in this 'industry' I respect and admire all that do. It is simply not for me. I merely look to enjoy to enjoy my own creations further, develop, become proud, make my own collective, book, website to compete with the rest. yeah.

Graham.

James Graham. His style is not limited to what is seen here. Yet these are the works which caught my eye. Another self professed use and abuser of odd bits and materials. Also of the old school skills. Drawing. Printing. These serve as a reminder of how good print can look. And how much I should make the effort to travel back to it.



Think its also the complexity of the overall images, the way the components tend to slot and hold together, yet its not fully overbearing. Plus his style is evident and consistent throughout.

Jarnot.

Following the continuous fascination with all things complicated and riddled with detail in layers... I find the work of Seb Jarnot in a sense refreshing. Not due to the fact of simplicity yet in relation to the complexities of mixed media this approach of pen and paper struck a chord. There is no requirement of unique use of materials or reintroductions of ways of working. His style is striking. There is an edge of dark humour. Crudeness. There is more here than pretty images. Some are simply not pretty. They're jagged, incomplete, but hold confidence which challenge the viewer to seriously believe it is truly an unfinished work.

Peepshow collective.

Consistently impressed by this website.
The work showcased is of a consistent quality. The website makes it damn hard for anyone to steal images, It's slick, it looks good, it works.
The kind of collective you want to be part of. But the kind you respect enough to not even consider replicating let alone approaching. They have made this. Raise your own limits.

O'Connor.

Could be argued as a development on Thompson. Let expected found objects of use. But also perhaps not if one were to consider a fashion background. Yet all of this conspires to the fact that alot of skills have been rediscovered, claimed, enjoyed. To get my name up with theirs I need a chance at something equally inspired. The aesthetics brought into this images through the wool. the vague brutality of the simple pinning of objects to create images. Seems far more savage than glue, less permanent. I quite like that. Sense of unknowing.

Thompson.

A first influence of mine. She has her stuff in many of the fit books I aspire for my cardboard.
I'm not sure if its the gloss/quality paper finish, or simply the connotation attached to the name in print. But this illustrator. With her use of mixed media and found object enforced an idea that works did no need to consist of pencil, paint, pastels etc. the worn, layered, detailed, mismatched torn, messy but neat. her work just appeared as abit of an oxymoron, an it interested me.