above: picture taken while on my trip to Barcelona

A few years back while on a business trip to Barcelona I found myself wandering the narrow streets around Las Rambla in the Gothic Quarter, when I happened across an art gallery with a strikingly colorful painting in the window. The colors were so vibrant and so beautiful I could not help but stop and take a picture of it. Now a few years later I have finally discovered the name of the artist – Francoise Nielly.

Today I happened to stumble across the artwork of San Francisco based digital artist and graphic designer Alex Varanese. I don’t know much about graphic design and am unable to pinpoint what it is exactly, other than his use of 1970’s retro colors, that makes these posters so stunning – all I can say is that I think they are wicked cool!

California based Illustrator Andrew Holder has a portfolio that will inspire. I especially love his Trophy Deer Heads, shown at top. I have never been a fan of hunting or showing off your kill by hanging some poor beast’s head on your wall in a act of macho barbarianism – I do however enjoy these painted fake deer heads.

If you get the urge to mount a mammal, this would be an excellent choice!

I am so very amused by these marker renderings made by Holly Brown Thorton! Her artwork makes me wish I was a kid again and re-live old memories of sitting in my living room with markers sprawled all across the carpet and spending an entire afternoon creating. Oh how I miss those days when time was not an issue and the day was mine to do as I pleased.

Thank you Holly for the walk down memory lane.

A while back while browsing the net I came across the artwork of Diego Gravinese. Viewing his artwork, especially the way he paints such realistic people and backgrounds has made me want to push myself further as an artist.

Anyone who knows me and who has seen me paint can attest to the fact that I can be quite obsessive when it comes to achieving the most realistic portrait. I remember while painting Paradise, I would lie awake at night thinking about how I should have added a touch of yellow to my skin base or some rouge to her lips. In the end I painted over her face three times in order to get to what you see today. Something I learned from that experience was that an artist should not be afraid to paint over something if it is not working out and try again until you get the results you desire.

I wonder if Diego Gravinese has ever done the same?

Aakash Nihalani selectively places multicolored tape around the city of New York in hopes that it will offer New Yorkers a momentary escape from their routine schedules and lives. ” I try to create a new space within the existing spaces of our everyday world for people to enter freely, and unexpectedly ‘disconnect’ from their reality.” Very cool.

Today I pleasantly stumbled upon the colorful artwork of mixed media artist Brandi Strickland. Viewing her artwork, particularly her Technicolor series, makes me smile. Have a wonderful day!

I can’t believe that these are not photographs!

Simon Hennessey is a hyper realist painter based out of Birmingham who specializes in portraiture and the human figure. His larger than life works of art are truly awe-inspiring!