michele muennig prints and paintings

i am going a little nuts today staring at the beautiful mixed media pieces, monoprints and paintings of california artist (and fellow tulane alum) michele muennig. these works move me with their moody color palettes and symbolic imagery. there is a mystical energy about them and the unfolding, haunting narrative themes evoke ideas of fairy tales, or the nightmares within them. the longer i look at michele’s work, the blurrier the line between dreaming and being awake becomes.

what a powerful, successful collection.

you can find more info about michele and see more engrossing works on her website.

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eric holubow photography

i don’t know about you, but i get a little anxious about entering abandoned buildings by myself. that’s why i am thoroughly enjoying the spectacular light and composition in this haunting series of decaying interiors from intrepid local artist eric holubow. having grown up in an urban environment, eric says that he’s always been attracted to modern architectural ruins like these, and can see rich beauty in unraveling and disintegration. once you see the stories told in these pieces, you wouldn’t even consider arguing the point.

see more of eric’s collection on his flickr stream and website.

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sarah spitler paintings

reader hilary pointed me towards the powerful, engrossing work of san francisco artist sarah spitler. sarah relates her work, crafted from ink, acrylic, graphite, enamel and other media, to geographical forms and the chance combinations that come together to create such entities. she is also mindful of chaos and the ephemera that is created and affected by it. i don’t think i need to urge you to look at the details of these pieces; they speak for themselves.

there are extraordinary delicate and intense details, explosions of color and feathery lines and bulges and drips that lead my eye down and around and in, and lead my mind to otherworldly places.

we don’t need permission to fall in.

see more and contact sarah on her website, and also find select works at the beholder.

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more photography from rebecca dietz

i know i’ve mentioned rebecca dietz’s work before, but it must be mentioned again. the fact that 1) she has new work; and 2) it is still stuck in my mind weeks after i wrote that first post is telling. so this time (and with the artist’s help), may i present it all with more feeling and detail.

rebecca’s fascinating souvenirs collection was a bit of a homecoming, as she’s always been immensely attracted to carnivals, (and at one point was a circus/performance artist in san francisco). the giant animals, pirates and fairy tale figures were a wonderful mixture of terror and delight that frequented her childhood imagination. on her return to delaware to get her mfa in photography, a chance drive brought her back to ocean city, the scene of many summer childhood vacations, where the same creatures awaited her. this created a direct connection back to forgotten memories of her childhood.

the camera that she used for many of the photographs was an old mamiya twin lens reflex, the tank-like kind of camera that you hold at the waist and look down into to compose the image. this particular choice of camera created an interesting irony: seeing this world again from the height of a five year old child. add to this the fact that rebecca and the creatures were older. the weathered paint and exterior added a sadness and a softness to their characters, yet also brought them back to life, like an old friend discovered after many years. these photographs are a bit like portraits, a reconnection with childhood friends and an homage to the distance of time and decay.

the souvenir series is sepia toned, silver gelatin photographs. the image sizes are approximately 10″ square, framed to 17″ square. they are selling for $250 each, framed, plus shipping - a veritable bargain considering the quality of the pieces and the rich history behind them!

it would be so rewarding to take a photography class with her at the san antonio college in texas, wouldn’t it?

thank you rebecca for sharing this wonderful behind the lens info with me!!!

find her pieces and view her portfolio here.

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stirring illustrations by monsieur paloma

look at these mysterious illustrations that french artist monsieur paloma has done.

i love the depth and shadow, his skillful technique and imagination and this strange, sad feeling i get from looking at any of them.

more intrigue on his flickr stream, and also on his blog — but not much info about monsieur. drat.

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amanda webster - poignant illustrations

i like these illustrations from new york (via minnesota) artist amanda webster, because they make me squirm.

amanda has a background in psychology and her work is inspired by human nature and internal conflict.

she works in traditional and digital media.

 i’m compelled by the themes of pain, yearning and isolation.

the somber victorian feel and the raw emotion in some of these pieces make looking at them an arduous task — which is why i love them! 

moving, and so rewarding. 

check out amanda’s blog and online portfolio for more info.

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