New site: Irish Arts Blog

I recently learned that Paul O'Mahony of Siopaeile.com has launched a new blog, focused on bringing together Irish artists and their work. Thus far, there are 11 artists in all, and they plan to add additional artists in the coming months. The artists come from all over Ireland and offer a variety of styles and perspectives. From what I've seen thus far, the work is rich in diversity, covering a range of mediums including paint, photography, mosaic, sculpture and crafts.

Here is a selection of the work featured on Irish Arts Blog (click each image to be taken to an entry with information about the artist). This is an exciting addition to the art blogging world, so be sure to stop by their site for more!

The Art of Isabelle Arsenault:

Isabelle Arsenault is a Montreal based illustrator who got her start in graphic design. You can see some of her work below, and more on her website.

Snow Sculptures:

Giant Marionette Girl:

A walk through the art world:

Click the artist's name for biographical information.
Click the genre for more photos of their work.





Tina Barney - photography.



Christian Boltanski - installation.



Christo and Jeanne-Claude - experimental earthwork installation.



Walter DeMaria - experimental sculpture.



Lucien Freud - painting.



Viola Frey - sculpture.



Robert Gober - sculpture.




Nan Goldin - photography.



Duane Hanson - sculpture.



Michael Heizer - earthwork.



Damien Hirst - found-object sculptures.



Jun Kaneko - sculpture



Anish Kapoor - installation.




Jeff Koons - sculpture.



Barbara Kruger - conceptual graphic art.



Sally Mann - photography.



Cornelia Parker - sculpture, installation.



Charles Ray - found-object sculpture.



Mary Ellen Mark - photography.



Gerhard Richter - painting.



Edward Ruscha - text-based painting.



Richard Shaw - illusionist sculpture.



Cindy Sherman - photography.



Kiki Smith - feminist artist.



Robert Smithson - earthwork.



Jessica Stockholder - installation.



Mark Tansey - painting.



Kara Walker - installation.



K. Wodiczko - light installation.



David Wojnarowicz - photography, performance art.

The Digital Art of Viktor Kvant

From his website:

"Dreamhours is focused on the visible, the tangible, but only to a certain extent. What I'm really trying to portray are the things that describe the inner reality; a mysterious and obscure, deep and enticing reality. That which you rather have to feel, than try to describe"

Some of his work:

Recently finished contour drawing: 'Three Words'

Chinese Disabled Performing Arts Troupe:

Recently Finished: Mandala Sculpture.

...of sorts. The structure material is foam core, and I went with a geometric/mandala design. The color is a blend of chalk and sand, which needless to say, was tricky to apply without excessive smudging.

I think the construction is a little weak, but I like the design and may use it again. Next time, I'd like to paint the pattern on first, then build up with a more delicate structure (the diameter of this piece is nearly three feet).

The Paper-Art of Jen Stark

Jen Stark is a young, up-and-coming, Miami based artist. Her work is inspired by fractals, worm holes, MRI scans, and interestingly, dead bodies. (read more)


















See more on her website.

Drawing with car dust

Scott Wade's "dirty car art":










See more here.

The art of Alexander Jansson:

See more of his work here.

Recently Finished: Wire Sculpture.

It's been over a decade since my last foray into 3D work. While I'm not very enthusiastic about the completed piece, the process was worthwhile, so it's a start:

New Digital Painting Video

This was my project last week--turning a line drawing into a digital painting. The painting process was done here and there over the course of three days. I inked the drawing by hand, then scanned it in and completed the job using photoshop elements. The video took another day or two. Fast to make, and fun. Hope you enjoy it:

Update:

Here are some still shots of the piece in progress.

"Away From Me" Postcards:

I recently ordered a set of "Away From Me" Postcards from my store, primarily to check the quality of the print. They just arrived today, and I'm very pleased. The cards are a nice weight and the image is crisp, which is exactly what I hoped for.

More items soon to come, including full size prints. Be sure to check out the store for more. Right now there are postcards, magnets, greeting cards, and even a mousepad featuring Darwin the Robot.

Thanks for all your support!

All about Ron Mueck:

Ron Mueck is an Australian hyperrealist sculptor. More from Animation Nation:

"His parents were toy makers. He worked on children's television shows for 15 years before creating special effects for the 1986 film Labyrinth.

He then started his own company in London, making models to be photographed for advertisements. Now he's creating on his own and showcasing his work in places such as the Royal Academy, the Millennium Dome in London and the Venice Biennale."

You may have seen his work before:














You can watch a slideshow of his work here, and find his exhibit schedule here. Below is a video detailing his technique:

Line drawings, from life:

Each took between 5-20 minutes. I'm toying with the idea of turning one or two of them into digital paintings.

More on Andy Goldsworthy.

I first mentioned Andy Goldsworthy here. This is a clip from the documentary about him, called Rivers and Tides.

Jennifer Maestre Sculptures

Pencils:

"To make the pencil sculptures, I take hundreds of pencils, cut them into 1-inch sections, drill a hole in each section (to turn them into beads), sharpen them all and sew them together."

Nails:

"The idea was of something beautiful, sculptural, but that you wouldn’t necessarily want to touch, and that also held a secret treasure. I never developed the small-metals skills to ever make the box, but it got me thinking about that kind of form. I started experimenting with different materials to make urchin forms. I found that nails, pushed through window screen, worked well, and I could use many different types and textures and colors of nails."

Read and see more at her website.

Sketching: Seated nude.

Graphite


I hadn't realized just how long it's been since I last worked with graphite. It's funny, since pencil was once what I used most--but drawing this showed me how rusty I am. I think the finished sketch is a bit stiff, but good practice. I may do this week's IF in graphite, too.