Paper Toys – The White Rabit
Cartoonist, illustrator, paper toy designer and author Matt Hawkins creates things. We stumbled a piece of his work that he designed for a “Two Days Slow” Group Show at Canteen Art Gallery. The showcase is a Alice in Wonderland inspired show. Matt’s paper toy, “Late,” is obviously inspired by the White Rabbit. Click here and download a template for this toy and create it for your self. Make sure to check out Matt’s site for more creative paper toys, downloads, and more!
Download:
Dowload PDF Template of Matt Hawkin’s “Late” – Click Here!
Links:
www.custompapertoys.com
Artist Feature: Duda Lanna
Duda Lanna is a graphic artist from Porto Alegre, RS – Brasil. Featured here are a few pieces of his work with use of acrylics and ink on paper.
My work moves through different styles, and goes beyond the visual arts, like science fiction, alchemy and psychedelic rock of the 70s. – Duda Lanna
R.I.P. Dare (TWS) 1968-2010
Swiss graffiti artist Sigi von Koeding, aka Dare (TWS), passed away yesterday (March 6, 2010) in a hospital in Basel. R.I.P. (1968-2010)
Rest in Peace Dare † 06.03.2010 from I Love Graffiti on Vimeo.
Links:
www.dare.ch
Artist Feature: Chris Murray
The artwork of Chris Murray. Featuring a few pieces of his work with acrylics on paper.
"Dear Mom" - Acrylic on Paper
"A Cry for Help" - Acrylic on Paper
"S. Twins” - Acrylic on Paper
Links:
www.chrisbmurray.com
INTERVIEW: WON (ABC)
German based artist WON, works in many mediums. From spraypaint to sculpture, illustration and design. We searched the web really struggled to find some valuable information about him other than the fact that he seems to be pretty well respected, as he should be. So we contacted to discuss life and learn.
La Famiglia – Please introduce yourself.
WON – My name is WON my crew ABC, Art Bombing Clan. I grew up in Munich, Germany. The earliest influences of art came from the art books of my father, and of course comic books. At the age of 4 years my parents took me to an art show of Picasso. There was a wooden group of very simple sculptures. I still remember a deep feeling of understanding with out exactly knowing what Picasso had in mind by producing this sculptures. most of the audience in the show said that Picasso just wanted to fake people by nailing some wooden garbage together. But I think I felt the mystic aspect in art which the intellect is not able realize.”
La Famiglia – How did you get into graffiti?
WON – Like most of the European pioneers in the beginning of the 80’s when the film Wildstyle came to the cinemas. This impact was so fresh and powerful that this culture is still alive worldwide. To check out borders criticize our western world concept of consuming in which belongings have such a high standard were also reasons to bomb this world with color, this world does not deserve to stay clean, that is why I smear it to the max
La Famiglia – When you were a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
WON – First I wanted to become a musician. Later a grammar school I found out that specifically girls loved my drawings and wanted to collect my stuff.
La Famiglia – What influences your work?
WON - Life itself, every evening I try to rip down my universe so that the next morning I can rebuilt it again more aesthetically honest and directly so that it shines unfinished through my physical death. Supposedly the essence of painting and creating is not to become stiff in your expression. Shape and form are tools with which to work, it should never be self-explanatory. The form, shape and direction are just a medium for lives elixir, to make the essence of life artistically visual in total harmony with body and soul. Everyday I have to break the mould. Everyday I have to renew myself similar to life itself in the continual river of change. Human chameleon style. Every set form as mighty as it may be conceals the path towards “truth , life knows no boundaries. Chaos rules this place where we dwell.
It is important I you want to change something with your rotten art pieces not to point your accusing finger. saying this world is shit living with atomic, biological and chemical weapons, pollution, the vast disregard of the human being against mother nature especially wildlife, racism violence and so on…. I could write an encyclopaedia about this catastrophe. That all of these disasters that exist is not part of my mission. To begin with it is too easy just to oppose something. More difficult especially honest and useful is to be ready for something. To be opposing means destruction. to stand up for something to work with it sowing it, nurturing it but never harvesting it, that is what life is worth living for. Tearing down pre conceived ideas, walls, barriers so that you can rebuild things more healthily and beautifully that is a reason to live for. Secondly it is probably the beautiful lest way to change this wonderfully shitty world with your art pieces by creating a contra world. Something that reduces the hyper mighty negative energies of this world. I build a new world, a world full of color.
La Famiglia – Who are some of your favorite artists?
WON – Goya, Caravaggio, Robert Williams, Bode`,liberatore, Hironimus Bosch, Giger,mucha, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and of course the NY pioneers of graf!!!!!!!!!
La Famiglia – What is the scene like where you live? How is it different from other places through out the world that you have done work?
WON – The Munich scene is still very active. What I really find inspiring all over the world that the graffiti virus can not be stopped and still gets stronger an will reach all clean areas on the world map.
La Famiglia – What has been your most memorable project you’ve worked on? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
WON – Some years ago I did a canvas painting project called “love project” together with about 20 teenagers who stayed for one or two years in a open house project in Hamburg, Germany. All these kids have been hardly drug addicted and were sent to prostitution. Most of them never painted a canvas with cans. I choose the theme love for all canvases because this was the thing this young people never became too much in life. First they had problems to start and paint the white canvas. I told them that you can not make a mistake in painting. There are no wrong lines or whatever. I told them to close their eyes and think about love and bring some lines to the canvas as a starter. It worked. The pictures were exhibited in an art show. The kids were so proud of the their work shown in a public place. This project was so memorable for me because I think I gave this kids a little help and confidence to find back in our society.
La Famiglia – What would you like to do with you work that you have not had a chance to do yet?
WON – I would like to send a painted satellite to the orbit
La Famiglia – What’s the craziest story you have from your travels?
WON – Oh there were so many. Lets bring it together like this: Most of the countries I painted in were nearly graffiti free, for example Thailand, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Belize and Cuba. A lot of the pictures where not located in cities or on public places. I only painted for people to whom I grew up a special relationship. When you have a funny time at the place together with the locals and see their happy eyes when you leave them this means much more than getting respect by your own scene. I also paid for all the paint. What you give is yours forever what you keep is lost forever. That is my way to show the syndicates and governments of our days that humans exists who do their own thing not only focused on money and authorities and give pictures for free as a present to foreign cultures. What is for free in this cooperated world? ZERO.
La Famiglia – What advice would you give to an aspiring artist?
WON – Stay strong, if you really believe in your dreams they will come true, but you have to work hard on it.
La Famiglia – Any last words?
WON – In every one of my color tantrums you can feel the anger and the rage inside me that I feel for this world in an intense open and truthful way (1994). My pictures and thoughts are answers to my surroundings, hard, nasty, filthy and massive. The world does not deserve to be clean, that is why I am smearing it to the max. The world has been gorged with shit for too long instead of progressing healthily. The world needs to be smeared with colour to be reborn again, destroy and create all at the same time, that is the way of the graf bomb!
Links:
www.wonabc.com
Artist Feature: Niz
Niz is a female artist based out of Austin, TX. If you are in Texas in early May, make a trip to Austin. Niz’s work will be featured in a solo exhibit, “All That Noize,” for a month at The Continental Club Gallery. Below are a few wall pics from around the city of Austin. Make sure to check out this past interview we did with Niz and some of her skateboard art here!
Links:
www.nizgraphics.com
Artist Feature: Daniela Uhlig
Daniela Uhlig is a young designer & illustrator based out of Berlin, Germany. Here’s just a few images of her work.
"Cap"
"Seemonster"
"Catfisch"
"Hylaeus Species"
"The Pet"
Links:
http://du-artwork.de
A Love Letter For You
Here’s several images of a mural series by Philadelphia based artist Stephen Powers. This series was part of the city of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.
Artist Feature: Busk
London (U.K) based graffiti artist, Busk , has been spraying for over 25 years now. Here’s just a few pics.
Links:
Busk’s on Myspace
Artist of the Moment: Sea
Sea is a designer, illustrator, and painter based out of Italy.
Links:
www.seacreative.net
Alexandre Farto Aka Vhils: Empty Spaces
Alexandre Farto (aka Vhils) is a young artist from Lisbon, Portugal. Vhils is in his mid-twenties by now. His stencil work and street art has been catching the worlds eyes since the early age of 16. Over the years his work has evolved and been showcased in galleries and at festivals around the world.
“Generations meet and fall apart. Cultures are compelled to flow into big cities and gather there, the “Western bastion”, a world of dreamt opportunities that steals our roots, identity layers that overlap and are diluted, certain to create a new culture and to thin our essence, the path we want to follow is the one that leads us towards forgetting the place we came from…”
Links:
www.alexandrefarto.com
Street Grape: handmade & vinyl stickers
These hand made and vinyl stickers were created by American artist, Street Grapes. The hand painted, “Rumble Shark Series” were all hand painted with molotow markers, in a variety of colors and elements. The “God Loves Ugly” vinyl stickers were inspired from an older design from some of his handmade stickers, scanned, and redesigned in illustrator.
God Loves Ugly Vinyl Stickers
Rumble Shark Series 3 (hand made stickers)
Rumble Shark Series (hand made stickers)
Links:
Street Grapes on Flickr
Bethany Shorb’s Cyberoptix Tielab 2010 Preview and Photography Exhibition
Here’s a few photos from Bethany Shorb’s Cyberoptix Tielab 2010 Preview and Photography Exhibition at 323East. Bethany Shorb is a Detroit-based costume, set, and graphic designer. She is also the founder of Cyberoptix Tie Lab wich is one of the largest eco-friendly, solvent-free print shops in the America. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Nylon, BPM, WIRED, ANTENNA, and on the Martha Stewart Show. This exhibit at 323East opened January 15th. For more info and photos check out 323East or cyberoptix.com.
Links:
Donny Danger
Donny Danger is a artist, Punk musician & special f/x guru originally from Philadelphia. Currently Donny lives in Johnson City, Tennesee. Check out some of his Oak wood carvings.
Artist Feature – The Never Crew
The Never Crew is an art collective based out of Switzerland consisting of artsts Fablo Togni, Christian Rebecci, Mimmo Mendicino, and Andres Arosio. All four artists attended Liceo Artistico and graduated from Art Accademy in Milan (Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera). The collective originally formed to create graffiti and graphics but has branched out into many creative mediums ranging from sculpture to comics.
Ron Zakrin – Solo Exhibition
Early this past Saturday evening 323 East hosted a celebration in honor of Ron Zakrin’s Solo Exhibition. Ron Zakrin is a Detroit-based visual artist. The exhibit showcases roughly thirty current pieces. 323 has utilized additional space for this exhibit and it will be open till October 26, 2009. Glenn Barr’s solo exhibit will follow next in line. Ron’s work really amazing. It all seems to be out of some adult fairytale, dreamy, with a touch or reality here or there. If you get a chance stop by and take a look yourself. 323 East is Royal Oak, just fifteen minutes from Downtown Detroit.
Artist of the Moment – Above
Above is an young artist based out of Paris with some interesting stories. Here are just a few pieces. Take some time and dig if you wish.
GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.
SANTIAGO, CHILE
MILAN, ITALY
Artists of the Moment – Gabriel Veiz
Gabriel Veiz, is a graffiti writer, tattoo artist and illustrator based out of Garopaba , Brasil.
Artist of the Moment – NOE TWO
NOE TWO is a graffiti/mural artist based out of France.
SENORA DE CUBA
R.I.P. BARRY WHITE
graffiti
