indie artist spotlights

twice as mice: Stuart Dunkel’s classical whimsy

~ jama ~ 7 Comments

“My life has been dedicated to the pursuit of beauty. It is an exciting, never ending challenge with prismatic possibilities.” ~ Stuart Dunkel

Mouse in the house! Actually many mousies, thanks to Boston artist Stuart Dunkel. Recently, I was minding my own business browsing the internet when I heard a distinctive “squeak” and could sense the animated twitching of tiny whiskers.

Oho!! There he was, my new little friend, raising a single raspberry in glorious triumph:

I have been obsessed with him ever since.

Who is he, and how did he become Dunkel’s muse?

Artist and oboist Stuart Dunkel.

Art is actually Stuart Dunkel’s second career. Born in New Jersey (1952), he’s also a classically trained oboist (Juilliard School of Music) who’s performed with top orchestras in Boston, New York, and Hong Kong. After retiring from his three-decade musical career in 2002 at age 42, he transitioned to fine art.

Up until then, he’d been painting in his spare time and had started a small company to produce reeds for the oboe. Just as he had with music, he took a disciplined approach to his craft, receiving formal training (The Boston Museum School, The Academy of Realist Art, Seattle, WA, and private study with other realist painters).

Continue reading →

fabienne delacroix: we’ll always have paris

~ jama ~ 5 Comments

Bonjour, Mes Amis!

Hop on the Montmartre Saint Sulpice omnibus — we’re traveling back in time to Fabienne Delacroix’s enchanting world!

Fabienne Delacroix in her Paris studio.

Upon first seeing Delacroix’s dreamy, romantic paintings, I was immediately captivated by their elegant beauty and distinctive charm. Who would not love lingering at a Parisian outdoor café, taking a midday promenade in the Jardins des Tuileries, or enjoying cancan at the Moulin Rouge?

Displaying a mastery of light and color reminiscent of the French Impressionists, Delacroix’s depictions of iconic city landmarks are set during France’s golden age, La Belle Époque. Dating from the late 19th century to the outbreak of WWI in 1914, this “beautiful era” was characterized by peace, optimism, economic prosperity, political stability and colonial expansion, in addition to technological, scientific, and cultural innovations.

Continue reading →

Lisa Zador: curiouser and curiouser

~ jama ~ 7 Comments

Why hello! May I interest you in a piece of carrot cake? Perhaps you’d prefer a little fry-up from the Egg Man, or are craving a Mr. Softee ice cream cone? 🙂

If you’re a fan of anthropomorphic animals and retro food icons served up with whimsy and nostalgia, award winning artist, illustrator and textile designer Lisa Zador has you covered.

Lisa with her dog Bingo.

Originally from Philadelphia but currently based in Greenwich Village, Lisa creates “unusual artwork for the discerning eccentric.”

Continue reading →

roberto bernardi: sweets for the sweet

~ jama ~ 6 Comments

What’s your pleasure? Go ahead. Reach right in and grab your favorite. Is it a fruity barber pole candy stick? Or maybe a whirlypop? There are lots of gummies, rainbow bites, jelly beans and jawbreakers too.

Italian hyperrealist Roberto Bernardi’s oil on canvas still life sweet treats are vivid, colorful, intricately detailed and technically meticulous, giving new meaning to the term ‘eye candy.’

Hyperrealist painter and sculptor Roberto Bernardi.

Bernardi was born in Todi, a province of Perugia, Italy in 1974. He still lives and works there today. He began painting with oils by the age of 13, having been trained in the methods and techniques of the great Italian masters. After graduating from high school in 1993, he moved to Rome, where he worked as a restorer in the church of San Francesco a Ripa.

The following year, he shifted his focus to creating his own paintings, first doing landscapes and portraits before concentrating on contemporary still lifes, favoring a realism closely associated with hyperrealism.

He had his first solo exhibition in 1994, where he gained the recognition of both the public and local critics. He has since had over 15 solo exhibitions worldwide between New York, London, Paris, Detroit and Singapore. His works have also been included in 25 exhibitions in international museums and over 100 group shows in many worldwide art galleries.

Continue reading →

Alison Friend’s Adorable Animal Portraits

~ jama ~ 6 Comments

Awwww . . . will you just look at that face? Who could resist a dog who loves sausages? If he came to my house, I’d served him bangers and mash for breakfast, toad in the hole for lunch, and a mixed platter of bratwurst, chorizo, and Cumberland for supper. I hope he likes me just as much as I like him. 🙂

British artist and illustrator Alison Friend.

Our sausage loving friend was created by UK artist Alison Friend (perfect name). You may know her as the illustrator of over 20 children’s books (Bramble and Maggie series, Making a Friend (Tammi Sauer), Bear’s Book (Claire Freedman), Mr. Brown’s Bad Day (Lou Peacock)).

I first saw her art on greeting cards she designed for the publisher Two Bad Mice, which preceded her picture book work. Painting animal portraits was a natural progression from creating anthropomorphic characters for children’s stories. She’s a lifelong animal lover and began drawing in childhood.

First greeting card I saw featuring Alison’s art.

Born in l973, Alison graduated with a degree in Fine Art and Printmaking from Nottingham Trent University in England. She was also the first female stonemason for the City of Nottingham. She currently lives in the Lake District.

Her animal paintings blend realism with humor. She’s brilliant at capturing facial expressions and conveying the emotions of her subjects. Check out the cheeky grins, side eyes, mischievousness, surprise, innocence, and earnestness. The longing gazes and overall adorableness melt the heart. So much personality! It’s amazing how endearing these animals are; people connect with them right away.

Continue reading →