Beautiful Dreamer Art

In Bed by Ron Mueck

2008-11-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

Ron Mueck is an Australian-born, London-based sculptor. His work can be seen in the movie Labyrinth, in which he was also the voice of Ludo. Mueck's first solo exhibition took place in August of this year in Japan.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Mueck

[title unknown] by Sharon Neel Bagley

2008-11-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

sharonneelbagley.com
A belated rabbit-rabbit, Ms. Acton. Good luck to you too.

Shark Girl by Casey Riordan Millard

2008-10-22T02:36:00.000-07:00

Casey Riordan Millard is an American sculptor, painter, and musician. You can visit artnet to view more and purchase some of her works. There is also a CityBeat "interview" with her here.

Poor by Ron English

2008-10-20T14:40:00.001-07:00

One of many illegal billboards by artist Ron English. Click for larger view.

popaganda.com
myspace.com/ron_english
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_English

Cupid Complaining to Venus by Carrie Ann Baade

2008-10-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Oil on copper. Various prints are available for sale by the Artist on Etsy.

carrieannbaade.com
facebook.com/people/Carrie_Ann_Baade/

Noxa by Dino Valls

2008-10-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Site contains explicit works from the artist. Valls also has a book of some of his work, which is currently out of print.

dinovalls.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dino_Valls
My baby album and the photos are missing/ruined.

Emma's Picknick with Friends by Stephanie A.

2008-10-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Prints and greeting cards available for sale by the Artist on RedBubble.com

flickr.com/people/innermirrorart
Supreme court to decide whether "acoustic smog" emitted by the U.S. Navy is killing sealife, namely whales.

Collateral Damage by Laurie Lipton

2008-10-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

This piece is still available for sale, please visit the Artist's site for details.

laurielipton.com
myspace.com/laurieliptondrawings
AIG parties with part of U.S.'s bailout money.

Adam and Eve Paintings by Gail Potocki

2008-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Two seperate paintings, Adam (left) and Eve (right), both painted on linen with oil paint. Click image for larger view.

gailpotocki.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Potocki

Senza Nome by Daniela Montanari

2008-10-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

danielamontanari.it

Grigory by Julien Martinez

2008-10-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

ozzdollsfactory.com

First Time Sinner by Cum*

2008-10-04T11:38:00.001-07:00

cuminthestreets.com

I Saw A Ghost by Elisabeth Lacunza

2008-10-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

myspace.com/vulgaree

[title unknown] by Jason Hernandez

2008-10-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

www.jasonhernandezart.com

myspace.com/jasonhernandez

Good Morning Noon by CW Wells

2008-10-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Visit CW Wells's Flickr photostream here.

Blackwater by James Burcham

2007-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

This cocktail table, found at Uniquities Gallery, was created by James Burcham. I know very little about the artist... actually I know nothing about the artist except that his work seems to be nature metamorphsized, and has a great "living" feeling to them.

This table, entitled "Blackwater," is still up for sale at Uniquities Gallery, which describes this piece as being, "...reminiscent of the water-tortured trees of the Dismal Swamp, where the artist roamed as a child. The table is completely hand carved, made of reclaimed wood from old houses and job sites."

The Goblin King by Debra Hathaway and Eric Heath

2006-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Dragon Wings LLC, located in Maryland, has produced some of the most beautiful marionettes I believe I have ever seen. All of them look like time-worn, thoroughly loved childhood playthings from a bygone era. As their site says they, "design, sculpt, paint, cast, carve, sew..." all of their creations.

Both Debra and Eric are married, are the proprieters of Dragon Wings and have teamed together to create these creative and artful objects of beauty. Eric, a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College graduate, is also responsible for Syracuse University's "Orange" mascot! Additionally, Dragon Wings will reach a milestone next year, turning 20.

I decided to list this one since Labyrinth is one of Kevin's favourite childhood movies. This particular marionette was made custom by for a very cool lady.

They also do amazing commisions for marionettes of pet(s).

Tiempo by Francisco de Goya

2006-11-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

It was recently reported that Goya's Children With A Cart painting was stolen during its journey from an Ohio museum to an art exhibit in New York City. The painting, estimated to be worth over $1 million, was originally a model painting for a tapestry.

Goya's work is probably not as well-known as other artists today. He was a Spanish painter who was often hired by royalty to paint portraits and other works of art. In his old age he went deaf in his left ear. Today it is thought to have been the paint that Goya used which contained lead. Much of Goya's art is typical for the era in which he painted; however some of his work is far from ordinary. In fact some of it is frightening, disturbing and, yes, even grotesque. One drawing in Goya's Caprices series, for example, includes ugly old witch-like women manhandling a couple of very small children. One of the witches in the drawing is stoking a fire with a baby's exaggerated flatulation while another old woman fellates a baby. Many lovers of his art have said his most disturbing images are nothing short of brilliant, namely the pieces that belong to his Black Paintings collection.

One of his most startling paintings include Saturno Devorando a su Hijo (Saturn Devouring His Son).

The above art is entitled Tiempo, which means Time in English. Please click on the image for a better view. You may see much more of his art here.

Whale And Eggs by Brook Slane

2006-11-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Kevin bought this piece a couple of months ago from Brook Slane, an artist he discovered and quickly became a fan of. His favorite, however, was already sold by the time Kevin contacted him so Kevin went ahead and bought a very limited edition print from him.

I’m still not too clear on what the title of this is… I just call it Whale and Eggs This is definitely my favorite of Slaine’s work. He’s really talented at creating whimsical characters and putting them in very imaginative situations.

Goodbye Special Brother by Jesse Reno

2006-06-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

I was firsty attracted to the blues used in this painting. Secondly the Picasso-eqsue faces on the characters in this piece. I am not a fan of Picasso and I'm not very fond of "primitive pieces" so I'm not exactly sure why I like this piece at all or any of Reno's work for that matter, but I do.

Jesse Reno, 31, is an artist who hails from New Jersey. He says the process of painting is, "...the story that tells itself to me, the wieght of personal truth regardless of its outcome. My work acts for no reason other than to convey an inner struggle for expression... simple and direct."

It was really between posting Goodbye Special Brother and Munny, a commissioned figurine. If you like this piece you should check out his site.

Sieve by Michael Hussar

2006-06-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

This particular piece is oil on wood and measures 57"x57"

You may like to visit his site which is brimming with some of his exceptionally detailed and macabre art. But be warned. Some of his art contains images of bloody dismemberment and may be offensive to some.

Some of his artwork, including Sieve, is also available for sale on Artnet. You can also check out a flickr site owned by a former model of his work that includes a photo of Hussar at work.

Banana by Rafael López Ramos

2006-06-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

This painting is by Cuban artist Rafael López Ramos (b. 1962) This piece was completed using pastel and adhered paper using a collage method. The piece was done in 2005. You can see a few more works by this man at this site.

This painting is appropriate for today since a friend of mine just informed of the fact that bananas are now in danger. The harvest in India has been infected with several fungi diseases that have wiped out much of India's crops. Read for yourself. And thanks to Victor for his insight.

Balloon Girl by Banksy

2006-06-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful graffiti image created by Banksy. My Kevin showed it to me early this morning. This particular work was done using stencils and black spray paint. The canvas is the Palestine-Israel segregation wall. You can see a news video on YouTube.com covering some of his work on the wall.

Banksy's offical website is here, where you can see some of his fantastic work.

Abbey Something... by Nick Damakes

2006-05-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

The is a pendant found by Kevin on Arcane Nonesuch. I found it in the Hellequin section of the site. This one happens to my favorite but I think all of the pendants in this series are awesome.

Shi Kitsune Fox Plush Doll 1 by Ms Hatsuko Mitsumori

2006-05-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever posted a plush before. So now is about as good a time as any I suppose. This is a plush by a female artist named Ms Hatsuko Mitsumori whose plush toy company is called Charaplush. She lists puppeteer Jim Henson as one of her inspirations and has been crafting plushes since 2000. Mitsumori's plush dolls do not contain any animals products. This is one of my favorites.

You can view her gallery and find out if she is available for requests at her site.

Sweet Pinkette by Foxxbox

2006-05-20T01:32:00.000-07:00

A girl I've never even met held requests for drawing of peoples' IDs on GameFAQs. I requested mine the second time around and this is the end result. I have no idea why everyone always envisions me as a mouse. Or is that a rat?

Untitled Piece by Unknown

2006-04-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

I found this on GameFaqs of all places, on a poll thread entitled "Is this art or boredom." The author of the thread explained that a friend of his created this piece. Click the picture for the full view!

A buddy of mine made it. And to answer inevitable questions, no photoshop was involved. Only an hour, some laptops, and a digital camera were used. It took a few dozen pictures to get it right.

My response: Art is the product of human creativity. It's art.

Pet Semetary by Gunnar

2006-03-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

Kevin decided to get a tattoo recently. The first artist he went to is named Gunnar and this is his MySpace (thanks to Kevin for showing me). His site isn't up yet but it will be soon.

Stencil Graffiti

2006-03-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

I think this is just beautiful. Click for a larger view.

Karya by Srikandi

2006-02-04T21:16:00.000-08:00

One of the most beautiful pieces of art I have ever seen.

by Hajime Sorayama

2006-01-26T22:28:00.000-08:00

Sorayama is a Japanese artist. His paintings feauture gorgeous women, sometimes even as robots or gynoids. Several books featuring his pieces have been published and his work can be seen in issues of Penthouse. His art is consistently beautiful; It's easy to fall in love with his creations. His latest work was featured at the Hysteric Glamour Art Exhibition last year in Shibuya Japan.

Take a peek at his some of the art featured in his gallery here.

Grandma Cyclops by Travis A. Louie

2006-01-25T01:44:00.000-08:00

Grandma Cyclops is part of Louie's "Portraits and Oddities." In world where everything unusual is labeled odd or weird, Travis's work definitely stands out. Every piece of Louie's work has an element of the bizarre. If you visit his website you can read a mini auto-bio by the author followed by the author relating his experiences and his influences on his art.

My personal favorite is a Smoking Yul, a painting of a painting with a painter smoking as the painter walks past the painting itself.

Bone Head by Robert Craig

2006-01-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

Looks sort-of like a photograph, but it isn't. This is actually acrylic on paper. As you can probably decipher, the subject is the skull of Mickey Mouse with a flesh-coloured Band-Aid placed on the side of his head.

I share a birthday with Walt Disney and it was because of this that I was overshowered with Mickey Mouse gifts as a tot. As a result Mickey has a place reserved in my heart. I've posted work with Mister Mickey as the subject before.

You can see more of Robert Craig's incredible work here.

Reeeeeeach by Jeff Thomas

2006-01-23T01:48:00.000-08:00

Jeff Thomas is a 17 year old artist from Southern California. Lately I've seen less of these little cutified creatures making appearances in his art, but that's because his work is more of a reflection of his lifestyle now. You can view or buy some of his prints here. Shayna and Straight to Hell are my favorites.

Mr. Santa Worm by Mark Ryden

2005-12-25T22:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

Rabbit by Caia Koopman

2005-12-17T02:18:00.000-08:00

Birth of Venus (Detail) by Mark Ryden

2005-12-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

Since December is my birth month I thought it would be a little more dear to for me to post this. It's also the birthday of a distant cousin, Blair.

The above image is but a small piece of the entire painting. The entire painting is more esoteric on the whole, with the baby decending towards (or ascending from) a gash in the face of Abraham Lincoln. Those who are familair with Ryden will note that Lincoln makes many appearances in Ryden's work.

Untitled by Leonardo da Vinci

2005-11-30T23:35:00.000-08:00

Leonardo daVinci's notebook contains some of the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen. The notebook itself is also quite lovely. It is unbound, put together after his death from loose papers containing his work. Da Vinci was a lover of shapes and movements and often wrote in a style known as "mirror writing," which is a style of writing from left to right, usually needing a mirror to reveal the message.

The notebook of da Vinici is now in the Codex Arundel in London, England.

Sweet Dreams by unknown

2005-11-19T01:04:00.000-08:00

Beautiful, dreamlike artwork by an unknown artist.

Banana Appeal by Greg Brown

2005-11-17T23:17:00.000-08:00

I posted art by Greg Brown in one of my first posts on BDA. I like anything charming, witty, and whimsical and Greg Brown's work conveys all three of those things.

Whitney Hopter Graphics is an art gallery located outside in Palo Alto, California. Although I haven't been able to find a reliable biography on Greg Brown, it's now obvious to me that Greg Brown is directly affiliated with Whitney Hopter Graphics and could be its owner or the gallery's contractual artist.

Save Our Souls by Aqua Sixio

2005-11-15T00:26:00.000-08:00

Aqua Sixio, is a 21 year old artist from France. I discovered his art months ago when I was looking at the profile of a previously profiles artist. You can view some of his beautiful work here.

Candy Corn Took a Stroll by Sean Christopher

2005-11-02T02:22:00.000-08:00

Today is All Souls Day, the final day of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) I had to post this piece. The skull, the headpiece and the robe remind me so much of the Day of the Dead festivities I've enjoyed for a few years now.

Dia de los Muertos is mostly thought of as a Catholic holiday. However many non Catholics celebrate it as it is a day for both remembering the dead and honoring them. Those who practice Catholicism normally attend Mass, usually praying for the dead to find Heaven instead of Hell or Purgatory. But those of us who are sane and do not affiliate ourselves with such brainwashing, dare I say mind-fucking, cults. You can look beyond the gathering of scalding religious punishment to something more Spiritual and the happiness these people brought us.

You can see more work by Sean Christopher here.

The Lily by Isabel Samaras

2005-10-31T01:31:00.000-08:00

Bondage Bear by Trevor Brown

2005-10-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

I first caught a glimpse of Trevor Brown's work on eBay, of all places. He's an English artist whose work has graced the covers of albums and magazine covers. In 2005 he had his first sell-out show in Tokyo, Japan.

You can view more of his work at his online gallery, but Beware- some of his work is quite graphic (but never violent). Still his work is not for the prudish.

**UPDATE** Trevor Brown's website has changed. You may visit his site here.

Acrobats on the Empire State Building by Otto Bettman

2005-10-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

.....No, this is not trick photography. Those acrobats really did perform one of their routines on the edge of the Empire State building in NYC. 1,250 ft (381 m) high above the ground!

Bettman took lots of very famous pictures that have become historical images thus far. After JKF's assasination in 1963 little JFK, Jr. was photographed saluting his father's coffin as he was taken to his final burial place. That is just one more example of Bettman's moving photographs.

His work rarely mentions his full name. Usually the only name of the artist given is "Bettman Archive," which is what his entire collected work is known as.

Unfortunately Bill Gates bought the entire archive of Bettman's work and we will probably never even see the bulk of his work, even as prints. This is because, shockingly, all of his work has been buried under more than 200 ft. of limestone. Supposedly to preserve all 100 million+ images.

If you're interested in knowing why, read this and this. Very interesting!

Krampus Children by Jolanda Olie

2005-10-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Jolanda Olie says her work is a mixture of gothic and kawaii street fashion. In fact she asserts that her work is "dedicated to the art street fashion kids make in their rooms, not because they have to, but because they want to."

Her work normally includes little round faced, doe-eyed girls surrounded with swirls of pinks and bubbly hearts.

Olie is a resident of the Netherlands and is available for commisions. You can see more of her work here.

Supper Club by Marion Peck

2005-10-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who appreciate Mark Ryden's work, you will notice how similar this piece is to his own work.

Marion Peck, who turned 42 on the 3rd of this month, was born the last of four children in the Phillipines while her parents were travelling. She was raised in Seattle Washington.

Among her admirers, and private collectors of her work, are The Far Side's Gary Larson and Mark Ryden (he is also her paramour).

Her online gallery is here.

The Sream by Edvard Munch

2005-10-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is the probably the most famous painting by Edvard Munch. The original painting was displayed at the Munch Museum in Oslo. It was stolen in August of 2004 by two thieves who, in broad daylight, took two of his most famous pieces The Madonna and The Scream.

The Madonna is valued at $15,000,000 alone. Neither has been recovered. It’s likely that they have been destroyed.

Polished Stone #2 by Kathleen Dustin

2005-10-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Dustin is an artist whose forte is designing evening bags for women. Her gallery displays a plethora of imaginative designs that relect femiminity in each uniquely shaped piece.

Her idea of designing evening bags instead of creating sculptural came from the idea that, " a figurine or sculpture just sits there collecting dust. You aren´t supposed to touch it," while her evening bags are meant to be used, admired and cherished.

Flowers in the Attic by unknown

2005-09-30T03:19:00.000-07:00

This is one of those images that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It’s beautiful and, like all art worth remembering, it’s an image that becomes inprinted in your mind.

A Paler Shade of Being by Caniglia

2005-09-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

I considered buying this print about a year ago from Shocklines. It's considered to be a piece belonging most appropriately to the horror genre for reason which may or may not be obvious. But "Paler Shade of Being" is definitely one of his most tame works. Amazinlgy, this piece was completed using only watercolours and pencil, and no other medium.

Caniglia's work normally possesses a type on patina that seems to have survived age and rust. Caniglia's art is intensely human. Visit his gallery.

Erwart Tung by Ludwig Angerer der Ältere

2005-09-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

Ludwig Angerer der Ältere is known in Europe as "Angerer the Elder" and a source calls him, "one of Europe's most famous painters."

I chose to post this particular piece because it's a reflection of my own Spanish heritage and the large part bulls play in our culture, in-cluding matadors and the running of the bulls- both traditions I am not exactly proud of.

Angerer's surrealist work is normally created using an oil medium and airbrushes to give his pieces a dream-like effect. You can view a handful of his incredible pieces here.

God's Giving by Andreas Scholz

2005-09-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

"Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell . . . and boldly venture to whatever place farthest from pain?" -John Milton, Paradise Lost

Kissing the Frog by Elffers & Freymann

2005-09-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Joost Elffers and Saxton Freymann Stewart are a photographer and artist team who have "molded" fruits and vegetables into cute faces that show a large range of emotional expressions.

The whimsical duo's debut came in 1997 with their best seller book, "Play With Your Food." Since then they have collaborated on several books and

As you can imagine, it was difficult for me to select one image, so instead I selected 7 pieces. Please click to enlarge.

Creatures of the Night by Aspen Payne

2005-09-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

This is artwork done by a 6 year old Blogger named Aspen. At 6 she's already working with multimedia, combining the use of watercolours and pastels. You can view her beautiful Art Gallery and photos here.

It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To

2005-09-19T23:51:00.000-07:00

I posted a piece by Skot Olsen back in August, but I posted this one because it was my fiance's birthday recently and he I both enjoy Skot Olsen's work.

Happy Birthday Kevin

2005-09-19T00:12:00.000-07:00

La Luna by Joe Sorren

2005-09-18T00:55:00.000-07:00

Decalcomania by René Magritte

2005-09-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Magritte was an awesomely inspired painter. He was born on November 21, 1898 in Belgium and died at age 68. If you browse his work, you will notice several different paintings of this image of a man donning a bowler hat. That's because this painting, which is actually in full colour, is part of Magritte's Bowler Hat theme.

Pop Art Graffiti Building

2005-09-12T03:31:00.000-07:00

This colourful building is somewhere in Montreal. All four walls are painted in this manner.

Bird Brained by Thomas Han

2005-09-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Thomas Han's MySpace is here. If you're interested in purchasing his art, visit artnet.

Linda by Sage Vaughn

2005-09-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Like all great artists, Sage Vaughn has a style all his own. His M.O. is a cool earthiness that evokes a happy thought. Much of his art incorporates butterflies and flowers while maintaining a tea-toned, grainy aura.

The word linda, by the way, is Spanish for "beautiful."

Faunadestia by Marilyn Manson

2005-09-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Manson’s stage name came from the name came from a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson’s name. Interestingly enough, those were not their real names.

Marilyn Monroe’s real name was Norma Jean Mortensen, while Charles Manson’s real name is Charles Maddox.

Ironically, both Monroe and Manson had insane mothers who physically abused them often. On one occasion Monroe’s mother tried to smother her with a pillow as she slept and Manson’s mother often sent him to school dressed as a girl.

Monroe was thought to have a high IQ, and Charles Manson’s IQ is above average at 121. Curiously, both of them had three marriages that ended in divorce in the Sixties.

James Sunderland by Konami

2005-09-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Silent Hill is a dark, fictional world that is paradoxical and Hellish. The story of Silent Hill began when a group of dark worshippers began experimenting with things of an evil nature that soon swallowed an entire town, turning it into a decayed city filled with demonic creatures- with no exit and no explainable entrance.

A movie based on the video game is in production and Sean Bean, who played Boromir in LOTR, will play the role of James Sunderland, a man looking for his daughter after she’s disappeared in the town of Silent Hill.

The art above is actually the game’s computer animation.

Acorn and the Dryad by Esao Andrews

2005-09-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

According to a Pixelsurgeon interview, no member of Esao's family had ever seen his work since he was a wee boy of 8 years growing up in Arizona, until recently.

This painting is that of a dryad and a unicorn, both creatures of mythology. The dryad is a creature of Greek mythology whose asso-ciation is usually tied to the wood Nymphs. Dryads are the tree spirits of the oak tree, while unicorns are probably the most popular mytho-logical creature.

The most famous painting of a dryad is by Evelyn De Morgan (1850-1919).

La Reine Rouge by Pierre Bourgeault

2005-09-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

The story of Little Red Riding Hood has been told through many generations and she has become such an icon that even in this mod, bunny eared get-up we can still recognize that this is the fabled Little Red Riding Hood.

The story of Little Red Riding Hood was written by an French man named Charles Perault in 1697. Many stories of that era are filled with sexual content and violence (i.e. Sleeping Beauty awoke after she'd been raped; Cinderella's step-mother sliced her own daughter feet in order to get the shoes, which were not glass slippers, to fit), but they usually had a happy, albeit twisted, happy ending.

Little Red Riding Hood was a cautionary tale for virginal girls who could be seduced by "wolves." But this version did not have a happy ending. Because La Reine Rouge decided to trust the wolf, he ate her.

After Darkly Noon by Viggo Mortensen

2005-09-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

Having tackled several careers successfully, Viggo Mortesensen has been called a renaissance man. He is a painter, photographer, poet, singer, songwriter, actor, owner of publishing house Perceval Press, speaks five different languages, and during his filming career he has become an excellent horse rider and swordsman.

Dancing Bears by William Holbrook Beard

2005-08-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

.............................Dance as if no one was watching,

.............................Sing as if no one was listening,

.............................And live each day as if it were your last.

.......................................................... -Irish Proverb

Bubble Gnomes by Nicholas Gurewitch

2005-08-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Gurewitch is a comic illustrator and film maker. His weekly comic strip, "The Perry Bible Fellowship," can be found in The Portland Mercury, The Rochester Insider, and The New York Press. You can view more of his artwork and comics here. Or take a peek at his archive here. Although whimsical, be forewarned: most of his art is a bit violent but very funny.

Alice In Wonderland, No.8 by Vladimir Clavijo-Telepnev

2005-08-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

I have a soft spot for all things Alice in Wonderland. Everything Disney for that matter, but Alice took awhile for me to actually get into and as a result I am still fascinated wiith the many ways this character has been captured.

This particular image was taken by Vladimir Clavijo-Telepnev , a photographer from Moscow. I have seen Alice in Wonderland 7-10, but I have no idea if, publicly, 1 through 6 are even in existence . Clavijo-Telepnev's work is usually monochromatic and dark, reflecting his home country of Russia in all of his photos.

Dream Caused by The Flight of a Bumble Bee Around a Pomegranate One Second Before Waking Up by Salvador Dalí

2005-08-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Often, Dalí's work seems to be influenced by a dream. Dalí (1904-1989) was a painter, writer, film maker, illustrator, jewellery de-signer, and performance artist amongst other things.

When he was born his parents had just lost their first born son. His parents named him after his dead brother and treated him as though he was his dead brother.

This piece is often called, "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee," but its true Dalí-given name is "Dream Caused by The Flight of a Bumble Bee Around a Pomegranate One Second Before."

Please click the image for a larger view.

Rest During Escape to Egypt by Michelangelo Caravaggio

2005-08-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

Caravaggio (1571 - 1610) has created some of the most poetically stark pieces. I didn't like his work en masse when I was younger be-cause I had only seen pieces that were popular to the modern art-heads and their version of "Art" is a really decadant piece or a very bare canvas. But some of his art really is very beautiful, but also incredibly unsettling. Absolutely none of his art is fluid nor easy to digest. The one posted above is probably the most tame and conformed Caravaggio ever was.

He Qi, a Chinese artist, created this piece, which mimicks "Rest During the Flight into Egypt" in a playful way.

Room 51 by Kim Koester

2005-08-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

My fiancé showed me this site late last week. It's an interactive web site, like The Chancery House in my ToyBox section, but it's filled with graffti art and surprises. Although the site is entitled 99 Rooms, there are technically 100. The picture above is from Room 51, not my favorite room, but I chose it because it reminds me of my brother and his late pet raccoon, Shadow. All the artwork on the site is by Kim Koester.

USA Mural by 41 child artists

2005-08-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

I love the United States. This country gives people more opportunities to succeed than any other country. But more and more we're being seen as a terrorist country, interested in only entertainment, food, sex and money.

CNN reported that the U.S. Army has decided to keep the current number of troops (100,000) in Iraq for four more years. During this time we can expect our economy to stay in the toilet, the price of living to skyrocket and more innocent lives to be taken as a result of our country's leader's greed to establish ownership of Iraq's valuable oil wells.

Angelique by Linda Joyce Franks

2005-08-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Linda Joyce Franks is considered to be an artist of the horror genre or 'dark art.' Many of her pieces have been used for book covers and her gothic prints almost always sell very well. Linda's art is usually very feminine but also incredibly mysterious and obscure. You may learn more about this enigmatic artist here.

Love and Sadness by Laura Brink

2005-08-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

"Sadness flies away on the wings of time." -Jean de La Fontaine

Che by Alberto Korba

2005-08-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

This famous image of Che Guevara was taken by photographer, Alberto Korba (1929 - 2001). At the time Korba was Fidel Castro’s personal photographer. He received no profits from this famous photograph, though it has been used many times during tributes to Guevara.

In 2002, however, he sued Smirnoff for using Che’s famous por-trait in an ad campaign, citing its disrespect for the fallen coman-dante’s noble life and tragic death. Korba settled out of court for $50,000; every cent went to fund the Cuban medical system.

Maryland Institute of Art has called this "the most famous photo-graph in the world and a symbol of the 20th century."

A motion picture about the life of Che Guevara will be tentatively released in 2006, with Benicio del Toro, hand chosen by Guevara’s widow, playing the role of El Comandante Che Guevara.

Elephant Art

2005-08-11T02:36:00.000-07:00

A few years ago there was an elephant at a zoo who would lure ducks into her habitat and then squash them once they were close enough. A veterinarian suggested to the zookeepers that they give her a hobby to help ease her stress. They turned to art. Now, more than a decade later, Zoos all over the world help promote wellness in their elephants (and even monkeys) by handing them a paintbrush and some paints and letting their imaginations run wild. This art sells upwards to $300.

Faith By Autumn Whitehurst

2005-08-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Right around this time every year I feel like I'm about to enter something big, like a new interstellar place filled with opportunity. So, naturally, around this year I always feel like a baby chick chirping for her mother and, of course, Heavenly Father.

I don't know what it is that makes me feel this way. Maybe I still have leftover nerves from my school days (all school years began in August). But this time every year is always a gift because I get to know myself better through the people who Love me and support me. Last year it was only my mother and Father. This year it's my mother, my Father and my fiancé.

Kaleidoscope Flutterbyes

2005-08-09T02:44:00.000-07:00

Scientists estimate that there are up to 15,000 species of butterflies and 250,000 species of moths. There are still thousands of moth and butterfly species that have not been found or described by scientists. In the United States and Canada, more than 750 species of butter-flies and 11,000 species of moths have been recorded.
........................................ - Victoria Butterfly Garden

Appalacian Love Song by Skot Olsen

2005-08-06T03:48:00.000-07:00

It's hard to choose just one piece of art to post by Skot Olsen because I'm such a fangirl of all of his work. Most of his art seems to edge towards the darker side of things.

Alice's Magical Journey in Wonderland by Tom duBois

2005-08-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop. -Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

Spider by Michael Sowa

2005-08-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

I have searched high and low for the past couple of months for any biography on Michael Sowa, but he still remains as mysterious as his paintings. Really, the most I could find on Sowa was on a Kyoto Travel Guide site and all that brought me was that the artist was born in 1945 and is still alive today. You can, however, still view a couple of his prints here.

Monumento Ai Caduti

2005-07-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

This scupture, entitled "Monumento Ai Caduti," was brought into being by an Italian artist named Nino Ucchino. Ucchino was the student of the painter Luca Crippa, who introduced him to new aesthetic horizons, giving him his trademark edge. The "Monumento Ai Caduti," which means "Monument to the Fallen," was contructed of stainless steel materials in 1994 and can be found in Casalvecchio in Sicily.

Silver Beauty

2005-07-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not really much of a jewelry hound. My first pieces of jewelry were made out of a BakeLite-looking material and to this day I would still don them. However, I do adore handmade jewelry. The one pic-tured above is handmade from silver. The web site I found it on isn't really informative about the creation of its pieces, but it's still lovely to look at. In a way it reminds me of dew caught in a spider-web, and in another it light it reminds me of a melting tree of life. What does it remind you of?

Bush Whacker Art

2005-07-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

I personally think President Bush is the second worst U.S. President in existance. And he's second only to Richard Nixon, who died in 1995 (did anyone even notice?). My mother thinks Bush is awesome. But then again she's from Texas. If you've never been in TX, it's a whole 'nother planet. Christopher Savido's painting at the right caused much controversy in early 2005. If you look closely Bush's face is actually surrounded by islands of monkeys, while Fairey's painting, Helluva Leader, at right, is flanged with a simple pentagram lapel.

Body Art

2005-07-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

Art has included a wide assortment of different forms of Body Art, tattoos being the most popular. Piercings are another form of the fast-approaching popularity of creating an individually ornate body. However, some forms of Body Art are not at all painful and can be equally as dramatic. The photo above is by an unknown artist.

Cookin' by Greg Brown

2005-07-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

This art reminds me of a cartoon I use to watch on VHS over and over again when I was little, in which the cops were animated potatoes. The criminal investegation led them to question a hard-boiled egg, and several other food stuffs, after a baby carrot went missing. The culprits turned out to be, what else? Rats.

Uncomfortable Starfish by ItsCheryl

2005-07-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this remind you of a bubble-ular starfish, all iridescent and pretty?

Bye-Bye Balloon Graffiti Art

2005-07-08T23:37:00.000-07:00

The Lantern Bearers by Maxield Parrish

2005-07-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Maxfield Parrish is one of my most favorite painters. I always wondered about this piece because when I was younger it looked to me like a group of clowns, holding Japanese paper lanterns. I believe Parrish, like many artists, may have been an enigma even to himself.

Parrish was born in 1870 and died in 1966. His art was featured Nathaniel Hawthorne's A Wonderbook of Tanglewood Tales and over one BILLION advertising ads.

Sad Spiral Girl by Shan Michael Evans

2005-06-21T01:59:00.000-07:00

A Sad Spiral Girl

-==UPDATE==-

SME is not @ Toy Industries anymore.

(Yeah, I know: Sneaky monkey)

But you can still find him here.

Jar Head by Bob Dob

2005-06-20T02:14:00.000-07:00

Jar Head by Bob Dob

Bob Dob was born Robert Bobbie in Hermosa Beach, CA.
His paintings are oil on canvas
Dob is the guitarist for a Punk band called Lunacy.
He now teaches drawing, painting, and illustration at Otis College of Art and Design.
Some of his work is on display at La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles
He created a painting of Conan O'Brien with the heading, "38 year old Man Child."