Evolution of Language, Oil on birch, 30 x 20 inches | Lost Constellations - Oil on Birch , 40 x 30 inches

San Francisco born (raised in Los Angeles) Tara McPherson is a painter, poster artist and freelance illustrator based out of New York City. She creates art about people and their oddities, her characters exude an idealized innocence with a glimpse of hard earned wisdom in their eyes. Recalling many issues from childhood and good old life experience, she creates images that are thought provoking and seductive. People and their relationships are a central theme throughout her body of work. Tara exhibits her paintings and prints in fine art galleries all over the world. Her site is here, and her first solo exhibition: Lost Constellations at Jonathan LeVine Gallery is currently showing. From the LeVine….

The painted portraits in Lost Constellations depict adventurous super-heroines from an alternate universe, crossing dimensional planes of time and space. McPherson considers the idea of parallel existence through the use of multiple views or angles on a subject, inspired by the Einstein cross (a phenomenon caused by gravitational lensing) while her series of bodily transfigurations convey principles on the physical manifestation of thought. A reoccurring cast of female characters appear in various states of action—fighting battles and growing toward self-discovery. Using her signature bold and graphic style, Tara’s imagery explores love, loss and loneliness through variations on strength, vulnerability and female empowerment. Concepts of non-verbal communication and the evolution of spoken language are explored as well, along with an interpretation on the circle of life—represented through transitional properties of water particles: gas, liquid and solid.

How Easily They Fly Away, Oil on birch, 30 x 24 inches

Somewhere Under The Rainbow, pink & turquoise, Oil on birch, 24 x 12 inches each

German (3-D Cover artist) Fredy Wenzel, specializes in some SciFi, Fantasy and PinUp style art . His extensive use of post work in each poser rendered image is utterly incredible. Need more convincing? Well, I’d suggest following the jump to see more of these fantastic 3-d works. Incidentally, Fredy Wenzel prints are available at his deviant art shop. more…

Early Bird | Bad Ideas

Nathan Ota is an extraordinary painter/illustrator from Los Angeles. His work is full of wonderfully edged wit, sharper quality and wonderful colour palate that makes it stand out from similar styled work. From his bio…..

From an early age, Nathan T. Ota always found himself drawing pictures over doing his homework by copying various cartoons, comic books, photographs and old punk rock flyers. Nathan’s first influences started from looking at his older brother’s Frank Frazetta calendars and Vampirella comics. His mother, also an artist, and Father encouraged and supported his love for art at an early age. In the mid 80’s, he discovered graffiti art as a medium to express himself on various public spaces in Los Angeles. This influence still permeates his personal work today.

Ota works as a freelance illustrator and teaches at Otis College of Art and Design, CA and Santa Monica College, CA. He has illustrated several of Henry Rollins’ spoken word CD covers including; The Boxed Life, Big Ugly Mouth, Sweatbox, Live at McCabe’s and Human Butt. A partial list of clients include; The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Virgin Interactive, Capitol Records, and 2.13.61 Publication.

Robo

Don’t forget to check out Nathan’s sketchbook section of his site - a highlight for me (seemingly common theme). Buy some solid prints here and view more of his illustrations after the jump.

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Dan Hillier is a London-based artist and the man behind this tentacled fusion of Victorian engraving and Lovecraftian horror. His “Altered Engravings” bring to mind the surreal collages of Max Ernst.

Dan Hillier sells his prints from a stall at London’s The Sunday (Up) Market, but if traveling there is geographically prohibitive, you can purchase prints or commission work using the contact information on Hillier’s Web site.

More of Hillier’s utterly intriguing engravings after the jump. more…

Shingo Shimizu, a Tokyo born, Toronto based illustrator, graduated from Ontario College of Art and Design with a Diploma in Graphic Design. He has worked for various firms in the design industry such as X Corporation and Modern Media.

Shingo started by moonlighting as a DJ in clubs and lounges, and club promoters employed him to design artwork for their flyers and posters. The eye-catching graphic illustrations became popular and eventually Art Directors took notice. Since then, Shingo has moved on to illustrating full time, doing both character and graphic design.

For more info on / works of Shingo Shimizu visit his site.

Retratos Vitoriano - em homenagem à Ray Caesar.

Helenbar is a Model and very talented designer from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Through a series of self-portraits she transforms herself into digitally manipulated forms of surreality. Her treatment of images is always amazingly sensitive and subtle. Beyond the technique, she works on the basic questions of language; understanding hierarchies and specific values of each area, thus constructing references and context. Many of her works play homage to various fictional characters, one in particular that springs to mind is the fascinating photographic interpretation of Alice in Wonderland series she accomplished, based on original work of Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland, 1865.

Her influences in her life and works range from writers to an interesting mix of artists, these include: George Meliés, Ingemar Bergman, David Cronemberg, David Linch, Roman Polanski, Neil Jordan, Tim Burton and artists as Gilbert and George, Andy Warhol, Pierre et Gilles, Ray Caesar, Mark Ryden, Jeff Koons, Nan Goldin and Joel Peter Witkin.

Natureza Morta 2006

Geisha 2005

Be sure to check out all of her portfolio at Helenbar.com. Follow the jump to see a selection of her fantastic images. more…