Artist Profile: MICHAEL SHAPCOTT

More portraits, this time by Michael Shapcott, from Connecticut. These female subjects are emotionally arresting, and each sends a different message. The above painting, entitled Auburn, was done with graphite, acrylic, and oil on canvas. It appears as though the graphite is the under drawing, covered with a thin layer of oil and some acrylic details applied in select areas. I love the colors and the basic paper shapes that intermingle with the painted portrait.
















Above Left: I love how Shapcott decidedly manipulated the proportions of this subject's features. That element combined with the smeared on oil colors on top of the detailed features contributes to the overall success of this piece.


Right: Entitled Within White, the brave use of color and deep outlines compliment the detailed fabric of the focal point and the flat gradation of the background.

This work is breathtaking.

Artist Profile: MOLLY BRILL

These are some beautiful portraits done by Molly Brill, an inspiring young watercolor magician with a very exciting style. The quality and style of her painting really accentuates the tendency of the watercolor media. Brill also experiments with acrylic and colored pencils in her paintings. The wet on wet technique Brill uses to blend her subject matter with the drips and splotches of wet pigment is impressive and difficult to achieve. The seamless combination of accurate portraiture with vibrant color and wild painterly expression reminds me of work by David Mack, author of the Kabuki chronicle of comics.

Artist Profile: FERRIS PLOCK

Several things about Ferris Plock's work are appealing to me. The paintings on wood give these unusual portraits texture and emphasize the contrast of the other-worldly "wicked samurai skateboarders" to the real world.

The combination of detailed patterns also attracts me to Plock's painting style, the juxtaposition of the busy patterns suggest folds in fabric and flatten the shapes into collage pieces. It brings to mind abstract parts of Klimt paintings that intermingle with portraits of women and lovers. Although Plock's subject matter is much more new wave, combining mythological creatures and historical references with a humorous twist.

Artist Profile: MATTHEW CUSICK

I have found myself very interested in maps lately, for both their formal and functional qualities. The illusions created from maps by artist Matthew Cusick are an exciting and intricate statement about the conventions of maps and painting. I think of his process lying between the realms of collage and treating the shapes created by maps as a coloring book.


The re purposing of these maps not only creates an intricate texture but also gives a new significance to the information found on the original maps. Cusick's unique approach to mixed media is both breathtaking and inspiring. The end result of his technique leaves the viewer with mysteries to explore within his work, after the comprehensive message is communicated.

Artist Profile: PAUL KESSLING

PAUL KESSLING. Another artist that has a simple formula for art in various color schemes. Although they are all superbly visually stimulating. This set of oil paintings really uses the qualities of the media in a different way. These possibilities are exciting for me, Kessling has managed to pull qualities of watercolor out of oil paints, which always feel thick to me, both physically and conceptually.

Artist Profile: PHAN THU TRANG

I have yet to experiment with pallet knife painting, but seeing these beautiful paintings makes me want to get my knife dirty and try some new techniques. I love Trang's colors, the slight variations in the values create the natural shapes. Although the subject matter doesn't change throughout his body of work, they are all beautiful and inspiring.

Some Inspirational Stuff.

things that are of interest to me

TEXTURE
watermarks
pallet knife painting
fabric
lace
wood grain
cut paper
transparency

THEMES
portraiture
distortion
mixed media
tea party
nature
maps
cities
patterns
body parts
windows
fantasy
disembodiment
humor
whimsy

FORMAL ELEMENTS
stripes
natural shapes
colors
texture

Trompe l'oeil Painting

The word Trompe l'oeil is a french word meaning "deceive the eye." The term refers to a highly three dimensional painting style, in which the appearance of the painted objects or subject matter is tangible for the eye. These paintings are often based from a still life, but some are more realistic than others. The style is generally credited to being developed in the baroque period (Rome,Italy, Europe 1600's), but has been popular both before and after that time. Samuel Van Hoogstraten is an example of a painter from this period. Here is an example of one of his works.

The theory of perspective drawing to vanishing points was emphasized in the Renaissance period subsequently advancing this painting style. This piece is a great example of Trompe l'oeil because of the limited depth and the detailed volume and color variation in the objects. Hoogstraten captured the movement and physical nature of all the objects in the frame. The ribbons look crinkly and floppy, the pincushion looks puffy and full, and the leather looks thick and springy. The string of pearls is amazing. Each pearl is size appropriate and the shading is varied in each one.

Edward Collier was another notable painter of this style in the Golden Age. His subject matter was similar, but slightly pictorialized and not quite as realistic as Van Hoogstraten. Collier also has a way of giving significance to the objects he portrays by stylizing them. In this painting the combination of objects seem personal and significant

in some way, where as in the Hoogstraten painting the objects appear randomly collected, like a snapshot of reality. While learning about Trompe l'oeil painting, the first example that popped into my head is a painting that hangs in the restaurant I work for. The work is by Jose Fors, a cuban painter. We have three of his paintings in the restaurant, all very successful Trompe l'oeil examples.

This one is on two panels and the objects are larger than life size. I love this combination of still life and portraiture. I also love how Fors is able to combine the three dimensional style with abstract textures and flat elements.