Painting

April 3, 2018

Artist Gives Old Paintbrushes New Life and Personality as Baroque Characters

Los Angeles-based surrealist artist Alexandra Dillon brings new life to found objects by transforming them into charming characters. Using old, worn-out paintbrushes, tools, and other studio items as her canvas, Dillon personifies each object by covering them with portrait paintings, reminiscent of the Baroque art style and Roman-Egyptian mummy portraits. Rather than plan her imaginary portraits in advance, Dillon just begins painting and, she reveals, “They show up and tell me who they are.

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March 27, 2018

Interview: Expressive Paintings of Native Americans in Authentic Dress

Artist Jeremy Winborg is known for his expressive paintings that pair palette knife backdrops with lifelike subjects. Rendered in a distinctive style, these energetic portrayals feature iconography that ranges from local landscapes to religious figures. In addition to reimagining these regularly revisited themes, Winborg has recently turned his attention toward creating eye-catching Native American portraits. This ongoing series of oils features portrayals of young women and girls in traditional Native American dress.

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March 18, 2018

Interview: “Maximalist” Painter Plays With Pattern and Texture to Create Feminist Art

Proving that “pretty can be powerful,”Australian artist Jessica Watts produces floral paintings with a feminist focus. In her series, Wallflower, Watts employs playful patterns and brightly-colored blooms to accentuate the strength and beauty of the self-possessed woman. Each expressive painting in this series features an anonymous female figure standing before a backdrop inspired by a real-life wallpaper pattern. In most depictions, the subject's nudity is concealed by bouquets bursting with textured blossoms.

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March 13, 2018

Artist Takes Months to Capture Every Detail of Japanese Women in Ethereal Oil Paintings

At first glance, these portraits of Japanese women look like a series of stunning photographs. However, it might surprise you to find out that they weren’t captured through a camera lens—instead, they have been rendered in oil paint by the incredibly talented Japanese artist Yasutomo Oka. Each photorealistic painting is incredibly lifelike, capturing every conceivable detail of the artist’s female subjects.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.