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13 Illustration Graduates to Watch From the Maryland Institute College of Art

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Kefan Shi, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@langshiart), “Garden” (2021)

As the premiere visual storytelling form, illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a truly interdisciplinary practice using experimentation, reflection, and point of view. Confronting subjects of importance can be achieved with bold strokes or with a whisper, drawing the viewer closer to a place of understanding. Through their envisioning the world of an author, contemplating life, or delving into one’s gender identity, these young illustrators are giving us a roadmap to the future. They imagine and build worlds of fact, fantasy, and poetry that go beyond the page using ink, ceramics, pixels, paper, cloth, graphite, time, and sequence.

Where these inspiring illustrators come from is as unique as their culminating work. With many having studied in the field, others emerge from animation, health care, advertising, design, and social sciences. They bring not only their deep passion for illustration as a practice but their attention to the needs of society through art. Distinct in how they reach this goal, the one-year MA in Illustration and two-year MFA in Illustration Practice programs give current practitioners, or those new to the field, choices on advancing their creative output.

Acknowledged nationally as a premier leader in art and design education, MICA is deliberately cultivating a new generation of artists—one that is capable of seamlessly integrating innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative citizenship with contemporary approaches to art, design, and media.

MICA is redefining the role of artists and designers as creative, solutions-oriented makers, and thinkers who will drive social, cultural, and economic advancement for our future.

What will you create?

See more thesis work and full artist profiles at mica.edu/gradshow23.

Black-and-white flowers overlay a seatedbfigure with several eyes

Alejandro Aguilar Canela, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@alejandrocanela), “Flower” (2023)

A segment of a building opens to reveal people in rooms wiht a colorful season-like border

Nimo Jiang, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@nimooko), “Folding World: Agatha Christie” (2023)

Smaller figures appear like cupcakes and appear to emerge from a central teenage like character

Jodie Chiou, MA ’23 (Illustration) (@jiiezuo), “Ice Cream Teen” (2023)

A comet shoots through an apartment building

Dwayne Huang, MA ’23 (Illustration) (@dwaynehuang_), “The Doomsday” (2023)

SEveral characters go about their day surrounding a cut out of a teapot with words in the center

Yuanyuan Zhang, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@yuanyuanzhou_art), One spread from the book, A story of Wedgwood: Bringing elegance to the daily table (2023)

A park scene in oranges and greens with people enjoying the day

Rainy Zhang, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@rainyyyyz), “Fountain Plaza” (2023)

A figure's shadow is seen on a pond of lillies

Andromeda Xie, MA ’23 (Illustration) (@andromeda_x), “Waterlillies” (2023)

A figure is atop an abstract box of colorful lines

Di Liang, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@di_liang_), Keyframe from animation “Cut &” (2023)

Breeze Hu, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@breeze_hu_art), Cover art from graphic novel, A Night Ride to the Day (2023)

Two mirrored figures appear lost in thought surrounded by a messy room

Andrew Haener, MFA ’23 (Illustration Practice) (@andrewhaener), “Digital Quilt” (still) (2023)

Madalyn Drewno, MA ’23 (Illustration) (@madalyn.drewno), “Portrait of Eric Skinner” (2023)

Two portraits of people wearing patterned garments that blend together

Sissel Tan, MA ’23 (Illustration) (@sissel.tre), “Nautical Fashion” (2023)

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article 13 Illustration Graduates to Watch From the Maryland Institute College of Art appeared first on Colossal.

Prayukti Arts Aims to Preserve South Asian Arts – The Silicon Valley Voice

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

In a world where many native cultural forms are dying, Sunnyvale-based Prayukti Arts tries to preserve the artistic heritage of South Asia.

“Prayukti Arts is an organization that aims to create a space for South Asian arts, particularly the Bharatanatyam dance form, in the Bay Area,” said Nitya Narasimhan, the organization’s artistic director.

Narasimhan founded Prayukti in 2022.

“The inspiration to found this organization came from my personal passion as an artist and practitioner of Bharatanatyam, and my desire to provide a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and cultivate a community,” Narasimhan said.

“With Prayukti, my vision is to create a space that prioritizes the arts while also fostering human connections,” she added. “I am passionate about promoting authentic South Asian art forms, especially in light of the current challenges of preserving traditional art forms.

“We honor the rich history and traditions of the past by thoughtfully bringing them into the present, to collectively imagine and create a better future for the next generation of artists,” Narasimhan added.

To Narasimhan, art is something that goes beyond the barriers produced by differences in language, social status or background.

“I believe that art has the potential to transcend language, culture, and background,” said Narasimhan. “I am committed to creating a space that is inclusive and welcoming to all.

“We have a variety of initiatives and programs that invite artists, students of the arts, and audience members from all backgrounds to participate,” Narasimhan continued.

The organization has numerous approaches to preserve, and spread awareness of, South Asian art.

“Our artistic initiatives aim to provide opportunities for artists at various stages of their careers, from emerging artists looking for performance opportunities to seasoned professionals seeking resources and students requiring expert mentorship,” Narasimhan explained. “We are also excited to launch a residency program soon, inviting movement-based artists across disciplines to participate.”

Prayukti also offers Bharatanatyam classes, which include yoga and cultural awareness. Moreover, Narasimhan has conducted lectures on the “Essence of Indian Arts,” which have been presented in libraries and yoga centers throughout the Bay Area.

Prayukti Arts also organizes community programs open to the general public, including annual yoga sessions, book discussions and other events.

“By engaging with the community in these ways, we hope to increase awareness and appreciation of South Asian arts in the Sunnyvale and Santa Clara region,” said Narasimhan.

Currently, Prayukti is devoted mainly to the dance forms of South Asia, especially Bharatanatyam.

“In my opinion, dance is the primary focus of Prayukti because there is a dearth of organizations that nurture South Asian dance in the South Bay,” said Narasimhan.

“As someone who practices Bharatanatyam, my primary audience currently consists of fellow practitioners of this art form,” she said. “As Prayukti is still in its inaugural year, I aim to gradually expand our community and programs over time.”

Narasimhan, an immigrant, feels a bond not only with the community of artists that welcomed her in the Bay Area, but also with her homeland.

“A huge part of me is deeply rooted in the values and culture from where I came, and I continue to visit India every year to soak in this aspect,” Narasimhan said.

Besides dance, the art of sympathizing with members of the community is something Prayukti Arts does not forget.

“We believe that empathy is crucial to building a safe and welcoming creative space,” Narasimhan said. “We are committed to connecting with each of our community members at a personal level, learning and serving their individual needs in our common creative space.”

For more details about classes and upcoming events in Sunnyvale, visit the Prayukti Arts website.

Donald Judd’s legacy made Marfa an art haven, but at what cost?

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

World’s Largest Rubber Stamp Sculpture: world record in Cleveland, Ohio

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

Cleveland, Ohio, United States–The Free Stamp, an outdoor sculpture located in Willard Park in Cleveland, Ohio, was created by Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen; the sculpture depicts a rubber stamp with the word “FREE” in its stamping area and stands at 28-feet tall and 48-feet long, setting the world record for being the World’s Largest Rubber Stamp Sculpture, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY: https://bit.ly/3oC8sup

Chinese artist’s woodcut masterpieces unveiled at Jiangsu museum

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

Running from April 18 until May 20, an exhibition chronicling Huang Yongyu’s artistic achievements is open to the public at the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou, Jiangsu.

Don Q underscores rum production, aging process through the art of photography

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Photography

The Time Captured project uses an oak barrel in which Don Q Gran Reserva XO was aged to convert it into a traditional large-format film camera, capturing images of the rum-making and aging processes.

Amid times when technology dominates, Don Q, the iconic rum produced by Destilería Serrallés, has established an innovative collaboration with Puerto Rican photographer Jochi Melero to capture photos with the only camera-barrel in the world, which was built on the island.

In an era where technology prevails, Don Q, the iconic rum produced by Destilería Serrallés, has initiated an innovative collaboration with Puerto Rican photographer Jochi Melero. Together, they have captured photos using the world’s only camera-barrel, which was constructed on the island.

The “Time Captured” project uses an oak barrel in which Don Q Gran Reserva XO was aged to convert it into a traditional large-format film camera, capturing images of the rum-making and aging processes.

The campaign is inspired by the history of photography: The dark space inside a classic camera captured a moment in time, preserving and highlighting its beauty. Similarly, the oak barrel enhances the distinctive color, aroma and flavor of the rum, while preserving its unique character over time.

“With this effort, we celebrate the art of rum-making while paying homage to the history and tradition of photography, very similar processes that require time and patience to achieve extraordinary results,” Destilería Serrallés CEO Philippe Brechot said.

“Our Don Q Gran Reserva XO is one of those that make up our portfolio of premium rums that mixes rums aged between 9 and 12 years and Solera rums of more than 55 years,” he said.

“For more than 157 years, we have produced the No. 1 rum in Puerto Rico with careful and artisanal processes to serve our customers in a unique way and offer the best rum from the island around the world,” he added.

The “Time Captured” campaign is an innovative approach for Destilería Serrallés that shows the brand’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship, honoring the heritage and history of making Puerto Rican rum.

“This effort inspired me to reflect on how the inherent life of objects can emanate their own intelligence and evolve through time,” Melero said.

“Being able to provide the barrel of rum with the mechanical eye of a camera to give it vision, its function of caring and giving it characteristics to rum is transformed to make way for the visual. It is a project that perfectly merges two arts that will always remain in the visual poetry of our island,” he added.

This story was written by our staff based on a press release.

Get to know the 10 ArtSpark grant recipients and their art projects in Acadiana

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

When Lex R Thomas looks at members of the LGBT community in Louisiana, they see wildflowers.

Thomas is a visual artist based in Lafayette, and a 2023 ArtSpark grant recipient for their work seeking to further representation of Acadiana’s queer community.

“When you think of traditional Cajun culture, the LGBT community is often not depicted as part of that culture,” said Thomas, who identifies as nonbinary. “But similar to wildflowers, even if you manicure your lawn, try to get rid of them, they are always going to pop back up.”

ArtSpark, offered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts and the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, is in its 10th year of supporting Acadiana-based artists, musicians and creatives with one-time grants and a year’s worth of entrepreneurial coaching on how to advance creative careers. Thomas was one of 10 winners announced last week.

Thomas will use the award to hire live models who represent Acadiana’s diversity, pairing them with native wildflowers to showcase both the beauty and the resiliency of the subject.

“It’s about queer representation and personal catharsis,” said Thomas, who noted feelings of disconnection while growing up in Kaplan. “You’re not alone, these things that you’re feeling inside that you can’t communicate, like grief or trauma. When someone looks at my paintings, I hope they see that this person is experiencing them, too, even if it’s not a direct conversation verbally. They can see my paintings and feel like they’re not the only one experiencing this.”

ArtSpark was founded to help advance regional artists who may otherwise have a difficult time funding new work. ACA Community Development Manager Anna Kojevnikov cited former recipient Dirk Guidry, a Lafayette artist and muralist, as an ArtSpark success story.

Guidry was the official visual artist for last year’s Festival International. He also sells his art on apparel such as yoga leggings and fanny packs.

“Now we see his work everywhere,” said Kojevnikov, speaking of the program’s goal of supporting artists while giving them business coaching.

Filmmaker and screenwriter Chasah West will use the ArtSpark grant to support her directorial debut in “Never Even.” The short film explores the roles of aggressor and victim in reverse chronology, leaving the audience with a changing perception of the film’s events as it works backward to the start of the conflict.

West was born in Acadiana but raised in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lusaka, Zambia. In coming back to Louisiana to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she found inspiration from seeing people work to keep the region’s diverse cultures and traditions alive.

“We are technically of Creole language heritage,” said West, who often works with her sister, Charliese, on film projects. “If our grandparents were alive today, we would not actually be able to communicate with them because that was their first language and we do not speak more than three to five words of Louisiana Creole. That got us really exploring what we wanted to write, just by seeing how the Creole language is still being held onto even while it’s endangered.”

The role of the artist is often to explore issues of identity and belonging — among individuals and groups, and also in relationships to nature and place. While many of the grant recipients have deep ties to Acadiana, a number of projects explore the complex nature of those ties. West also sees this question of identity as a key element of her art.

“We see ourselves as ‘insider-outsiders,’” she said. “Technically feeling like we come from here but actually still learning things about the culture.”

Through ArtSpark, Acadiana residents have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the region’s culture and creative impact as reflected through this year’s diverse panel of artists, musicians, filmmakers and other creatives.

Other grant recipients are:

Virgile Beddock with A Filipino Louisiana Story, a 26-minute documentary film about the loss of history in marginalized Louisiana communities.
Becca Begnaud with Traitement, a three-part documentary series on healing featuring dialogue with an anthropologist, a folk medicine practitioner, and a French modern language specialist, hosted by Begnaud.
Grant Michael Dermody with Trouble Down Teche, his sixth recorded album that will dive into the acoustic music of Acadiana while incorporating gospel, Creole, Jure, Louisiana blues and more.
Dustin Dale Gaspard with a conceptual bilingual folk album highlight the story of his ancestors’ exile from Nova Scotia.
Whitney Willis Hebert with Ten Tiny Dances, a performance series that experiments with confined space and fosters inventive dance and performance art.
Louis Michot with a music video for “Boscoyo Flo,” a single from his new album Rêve du Troubadour. “Boscoyo Flo” is about his mission as an artist to feature sustainability and environmental awareness through music.
Rachel Nederveld with an audio storytelling series that explores the relationship between humans and the natural world in and around Acadiana.
Kathleen Reed, who will be part of the nature and art residency at Basin Arts, working to promote a deeper awareness of nature in daily encounters through art-making.

‘Breathtaking generosity’: local artists are illustration of altruism for auction to benefit CDR

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

BRANFORD — Regard Eileen Eder’s oil painting of Meigs Point at Hammonassett long enough and you begin to sense the foam-crusted waves lapping against the rocks, the smell of sea-salt in the air, the cry of gulls in the distance.

“I feel so fortunate to live in New England, with all the varying sights and sounds and temperatures,” said the Lancaster, Penn. native, who enrolled in art school on the day her son got his driver’s license.

She was 48 and, except for “interference,” as she put it, from her large, extended family, two kids and seven grandsons, her work for the annual Shoreline Arts Trail, and her garden, she’s been at it ever since.

When the Community Dining Room’s Courtney Rosenberg approached Eder about donating one of her works to the Tuesday, May 2 Dinner & Art Auction benefitting CDR, the acclaimed Guilford artist, whose landscapes and works of still art appear on the walls of The Kate, the Smilow Cancer Center, and U.S. State Department, among other venues, didn’t think twice.

“I immediately said ‘absolutely, no question,’” she recalled, of donating to the benefit, the first of its kind at North Branford’s Nataz Restaurant, which will feature a buffet-style meal, wine tasting and a live old-style auction complete with paddles.

“You see every day how important this is right now, people are really hurting for food and just basics,” she said.

To hear Rosenberg tell it, Eder wasn’t alone in her willingness to help. No fewer than 24 artists came forward with contributions, ranging from unique stained glass designs from Jayne Crowley, to a glass putter from Ray Mathews, to Alan Horowitz’s driftwood sculptures, and a purplish sunset on canvas from photographer Rebekah Butler.

“It’s such a pleasure for people to have art in their home,” Eder said. “It makes their home so much richer.”

It’s not just art. Aspiring writers can bid on a hourlong writing consultation with National Book Award-nominated Amy Bloom.

The “breathtaking generosity,” as Rosenberg put it, didn’t end there. The award-winning Nataz, which is known for its four-course prix fixe menu, “immediately offered to open for the event on a Tuesday where they’re normally closed,” she said.

Likewise, One Hope Wine came through with a wine tasting, and an agreement to contribute to the CDR a percentage of wine sold. And radio personality John “Cadillac” Seville signed on as emcee and auctioneer.

CDR executive director Judy Barron expressed gratitude for the caliber of the work donated by local artists.

“We’re thrilled that we can showcase their art with the drama and excitement of a live auction,” she said.

The event raises crucial funds at a time when, Barron said, “donations are low at the CDR,” which served 48,500 nutritious meals last year, in addition to providing support and companionship to those in need.

There’s also this. Those facing food insecurity are not only dealing with surging inflation, as well as rising food and energy costs, but with the termination in February of the pandemic-era extra funds that had been deposited monthly into Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) accounts since March 2020.

“We’re seeing an increased number of ALICE participants,” Barron said, referring to asset limited, income constrained, employed, meaning “they earn just above the federal poverty level yet struggle to afford basic expenses.”

The event is part of a recent effort to raise awareness of CDR in towns like East Haven, Guilford, and North Branford, with the hope of making residents aware that the CDR is there for them too, Barron said.

“We’re so blessed to live where we do,” Eder said. “Let’s share that blessing with everyone.”

To reserve a seat, $75, which includes wine tasting, dinner, and live auction, call 203-488-9750 x3 or visit communitydiningroom.org, click on the donate button, add $75 per ticket, and choose “Nataz” in the drop-down menu.

VIETNAMESE PHOTOGRAPHER KHANH PHAN THI WINS 14TH GREENSTORM GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Photography

KOCHI, India, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Khanh Phan Thi from Vietnam has won the 14th edition of Greenstorm Global Photography Award. The award was presented in an online event held on Earth Day, 22nd April. She carries home 1000 USD as Cash Prize and a Certificate.

Her spectacular entry was chosen by an eminent jury and through a public poll participated by thousands of photography enthusiasts and laypeople from all over the world.

The winning photograph of the 14th Greenstorm Global Photography Award by Khanh Phan Thi from Vietnam

This year’s award saw a whopping 4183 entries submitted by photographers from 75 countries, including the USA, UAE, UK, Canada, India, Algeria, Brazil, Iran, Malaysia, South Korea, Morocco, Vietnam, etc. The theme for this year’s international award participation was ‘In Harmony with Nature’.

Khanh’s winning entry is a picture of a storm in the dry season at the Lap An lagoon in Hue province of Vietnam. She felt that heaven and earth seemed to be connected by wind and water. While talking from Ho Chi Minh City after accepting the award, Khanh said, “Every photo tells a story, and every story has the power to change the world.“

“The beauty of nature has to be seen and projected, that’s when people would say we want to protect nature. Events like these celebrate the beauty of nature through the power of creative visuals,” said Dr Muralee Thummarukudy, Director of the G20 Global Initiative on Land, United Nations, Bonn, Germany, while inaugurating the award ceremony. “Land is the platform for all of biodiversity, land is where most of the impacts of climate change are seen, land is the home of 99.9 per cent of humanity. Still, the land is not getting the attention it deserves,” he said.

Amar Habeeb from Abu Dhabi, UAE, was selected as the Jury Choice. His photograph depicts an artistic top shot of a mangrove with interspersed estuaries resembling a tree with its broad trunk and many branches. In addition, Yuri Pritisk from Russia, Soumya Ranjan Bhattacharyya and Kishore Das from West Bengal, India, were awarded special mentions. The winners carry home a Cash Award of 1800 USD collectively and certificates.

“The images we see through the brilliant lenses of the participants evoke emotions, inspire action and make us more aware of our planet’s beauty and fragility,” said Dileep Narayanan, Managing Trustee of the Greenstorm Foundation. Dr Krishnakumar Mechoor Festival Director, CA George Korah Trustee, Santhosh Thannikkat, Executive Council member, also spoke along with the winners.

The 14th edition of Greenstorm Global Photography Award featured 30 finalist entries by a jury composed of Mr Chet Kamat, Dr Lathika Nath, Mr Nick Hall and Mr Sharad Haksar. Visitors to the website voted online for their favourite image, and the winners were chosen by the jury marks and by the number of popular votes garnered.

About Greenstorm Foundation

Greenstorm Foundation is a Global Creative Conservancy formed to impact an appropriate attitudinal shift toward environment conservation among the youth. Using the remarkable power of creativity, this green initiative from Kerala has reached 75 nations worldwide and has inspired over 12 million young minds since its inception in 2009. The Greenstorm initiative began as a CSR initiative of Organic BPS, a brand-purpose consultancy.

Greenstorm Foundation is a registered (not-for-profit) public trust in Kochi, India. Anil K Menon, Dileep Narayanan and George Korah are the trustees of the Foundation. Over these years, Greenstorm has also won many major national and international awards, including the IAA Olive Crown Award in 2018 and 2023, the KMA CSR Award 2020, the NIB Award 2017 for the Best CSR Activation, the Social Media Campaign of the Year 2018 recognition by the Public Relations Council of India and the Gold Medal in the Pepper Awards 2018 for Best Photography.

Website: www.greenstorm.green

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2061194/Khanh_Phan_Thi_Photograph.jpg

SOURCE Greenstorm Foundation

10 Fascinating Surrealist Sculptures You Should Know

Apr 24, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

Even though Surrealism is often associated with painting, artists like Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim, and Man Ray created fascinating Surrealist sculptures.