 |
Mize Gallery presents: DECADES Featuring 49 artists creating new works inspired by a specific decade in time.
MIZE GALLERY GALLERY HOURS: Saturdays 10AM-5PM & Sundays 10AM-2PM Exhibit on view February 5th -20th, 2022. Contact info@chadmize.com 727.251.8529 for purchase. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
5 NUDES 1900-1910 The first ten years of the twentieth century exploded with new ideas about art. The legacy of Paul Cezanne inspired Matisse to explore expressive color through Fauvism and simultaneously inspired Picasso to explore structural analysis through Cubism. Matisse’s La Danse and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’ Avignon, painted during this decade, both featured five female figures and both were important benchmarks in the evolution of Modern Art. They were the initial inspiration for this drawing. Instead of five female figures, five male nudes from five seminal artists of the period were featured. On the far right is one of ‘the Father of Modern Art’ Paul Cezanne’s Seven Bathers from 1900. Just in front is Henri Matisse’s Male Model in expressive arbitrary color. Nearest is Pablo Picasso’s Seated Male Nude, an abstract analysis of structure. Egon Schiele’s shocking at the time Seated Male Nude (Self Portrait) sprawls to the right with exaggerated anatomical structure and emotional color. Just beyond at the edge sits one of Ernest Ludwig Kirkner’s sunburned males in glowing saturated intensity of color from Nudes in the Sun (Moritzburg). All of these striking figures inhabit the 1910 watercolor landscape Improvisation 10 by Wassily Kandinsky who began to explore the possibilities of nonobjective nonrepresentational art. |
|
 |
LETHAL BEAUTY Evelyn Nesbit was the face of American beauty and acting in the early 1900s. She was notably ahead of the Me Too movement 100 years before its time. Caught between a lovers triangle with two men she despised, she more famously became known for the “Trial of the Century” when one man murdered the other. Despite turmoil she remained resilient and prosperous and continues to be known for her strength, beauty and success as America’s first supermodel. To this day we can see her portrayed in famous murals, poems and film. Fun fact- I was able to find a clipping from an 1894 issue of ladies home journal that mentions murder trial that’s visible on her forehead. |
|
 |
FEMME WITH PINK SHAWL Femme with Pink Shawl' was inspired by Cubism- arguably the most important art movement in the early 1900's. Cubist artists transformed the way that human beings perceived art and the space around them by depicting multiple perspectives at once. Analytical Cubism began in 1909, but the ideas that conjured its appearance existed years before them pervading philosophy, art and scientific fields. Scientific advances like Einstein proving perspective is a deliberate lie and relative interpretation from the individual's viewpoint is a prime example of this. Femme With Pink Shawl' uses the cubist lens but adds a Venetian painting style for a more distant, classical and less flat style then the works of Georges Braque or Pablo Picasso. This piece reaches back to those grandfathers of cubism and adds its own dark,modern and almost dreamlike quality. The dark lime color scheme and elongated neck hints at a serpentine essence further pointing at the intersection of conflicting perspectives- a beautiful woman and something reptilian in a layered image. Duality is a theme Evan Koby Foster explores continually in his work. This piece reflects the intersectionality of Cubism of the early 1900's with a modern dark, surreal edginess. |
|
 |
MADISON SQUARE PARK |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THE ETHEREAL FOREST The Ethereal Forest was inspired by multiple art movements that dawned in the early Twentieth century. First, the low-fired earthen clay body and construction method of the vase were likely of this time period. In addition, the details of the decorations were incised with intricate carvings and subsequently painted with glazes on greenware or raw unfired clay, a practice that was commonplace during this era. I was heavily influenced by the tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement when concocting the exterior embellishments. These characteristics were defined by the modernistic approach to the depiction of the natural world and designed with the ideals of repetition and variation. Lastly, I borrowed the vibrant and bold palette of the Fauvism movement which gained popularity in the early 1900’s. Though this piece is envisioned through the scope of the a vase made over a century ago, it remains a testament to nature and all it’s glory. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THE SUN AND MOON MEET FOR DINNER My piece is about the Sun and moon meeting for dinner around 1905 to discuss the upcoming decade. Based on sketches, the idea is from my attempts to bring the Sun and moon together. The duality of the relationship between the two celestial bodies. It seemed to be a romanticized view, that the 2 would meet in the early decade to discuss the other celestial body the earth. During dinner between the two they fed themselves on hope and optimism . They knew the earth would need it. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
GIRL WITH A BIRD My photograph is inspired by the Art Nouveau movement during Belle Époque, a time in Europe characterized optimism, peace and economic prosperity. The frame is hand-painted to reflect the era. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
SHE TRAINED GATORS “Be regular and orderly in your life, like a bourgeois, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” This quote attributed to Gustave Flaubert could have been the motto for this young woman. She is typical of the New Woman of the 1900’s: well mannered and well dressed, confident and very orderly in her life. But her work is wild and definitely original. It also could be terminal if she is not careful. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
BISON #1 Yellowstone was established as a National Park in 1872 preserving the land to run it’s natural cycles as intended without much management by mankind. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act that mandated the agency "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" Bison #1 is a harken back to a time when photos were focused on the sublime landscape, and documented the landscape and animals within. Using an image taken in Yellowstone I printed the photo in a manner common to the era. The Bison was chosen because it is such an icon of the west, to indigenous people, and for its story of fall and rise. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
MONOCHRONICITY Dada is an anti-war, anti-bourgeois art movement that begin in Zurich during WWI. The movement used nonsense, humor and irony as a form of protest against the atrocity and brutality of the war. Notable examples of Dada art trace back to the early 1900s, such as Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain, a signed urinal. First of its kind, the readymade (or found object) art piece was meant to disrupt the status quo. A contemporary example of this work can be seen as recently as 2019 with the infamous piece, Comedian, which featured a banana ducttaped to a wall. Thus capturing the essence of Dada—absurdity and nonsensical art— though seemingly missing the anti-bourgeois sentiment as it sold for $120,000. In Monochronicity, the artist reckons with the passing of time, specifically as it pertains to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, amidst late-stage capitalism and civil uprisings, which has given way to labor strikes across the nation. It brings into question the colonization of “time”, in which hours, days, minutes, are all accounted for, for better or worse. Whether it’s to monitor the productivity of your labor for the state, the number of days in your sentence within the carceral system, or simply how many hours one has spent scrolling through Instagram, the standardization of time in Western culture has been used as a tool of oppression which aides in the creation and perpetuation of capitalism. Whether the future is a struggle to Poem by Patrick Blagrave |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THE MERMAID’S STORY I am inspired by the organic shapes in nature, bright colors and music. My process involves layering and mixing acrylics on paper. I use stencils, brushes, gel plates, rollers and other mark making tools on various types of paper to create layers of texture. Often I use them along with photographs, vintage designs or other ephemera to create a digital collage. These finished designs are then printed on wood panels. My favorite program for digital collage is Procreate. I’ve always been attracted to Art Nouveau and Art Deco themes, this collage includes a bit of both styles in the mermaid design. The 1910s saw a lot of changes and events. I’ve depicted the Titanic riding the seas while the mermaid watches her go by. If you look close you will see other remembrances from this time period. Have fun looking to see what you find. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
RIGHTS & REMEMBRANCE My inspiration for my art banner was inspired by several different events that happened during the decade of the 1910s. I chose the form of a banner because during the suffragette movement for woman's right to vote, they often marched with large banners depicting images/symbols and phrases. The center image of my piece has a liberated woman marching on the capitol, proud and victorious for achieving the right to vote. In the background are 2 passenger ships representing the RMS Titanic and the RMS Lusitania, both sank that decade loosing many lives. Lastly the poppies that border either side of the banner represent all the lives ;ost in WWI, so that we never forget all the thousands of lives lost in the Great War. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
A LEISURELY RIDE As far back as I can remember I have always been drawn to old things. Old vintage and antique items resonate and inspire my artwork, they have impressions, memories, energy and feelings attached to them. Sometimes I feel as though I was born in the wrong era. The handmade, handcrafted , old timey feel soothes my soul, it feels comforting and familiar. I adore the fashion of the 1910's! I love how simple life was back then, without the distractions of modern technology and keeping up with the rat race, I feel that one could really just enjoy existing. Much of my artwork also involves animals and nature for similar reasons, I believe we humans have much to learn from our animal friends. Animals are in tune with their instincts, they do what feels right, they follow their hearts, they are fully and only in the moment, and they don't have egos to complicate things. Rabbits are the spirit guide animal to the shadow self, encouraging one to look at all aspects of themself, even the ugly parts, love and accept them to be more fully whole and integrated. The frogs in "A Leisurely Ride" are enjoying the simple pleasures of riding an old fashion bicycle. Frogs represent transformation, they go through distrastic stages and metamorphosis throughout their lifespan. They don't have to try hard to transform, they just do. They just trust the process, let go, and enjoy the ride of life. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
FREDA / Josephine Baker Inspired Freda Josephine McDonald (1906-1975) was a trail blazer in her time as an entertainer, French Resistance agent and civil rights activist. My 1920’s inspiration, ‘Josephine Baker’, captivated me with her voice, but garnered respect because of her courageous and adventurous story. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THERE’S THE MOON WAY UP HIGH, American cinema depicted Betty Boop as the first illustrated sex symbol. With signature red lips, black curls, garter and “baby” voice. Modeled after Helen Kane (and ultimately Esther Jones) - she was the product of depression-era toughness and the creation of the male gaze. There is even an episode raising awareness around sexual harassment in the entertainment industry where Betty Boop is seen slapping a crooked producer (an issue today with so much coming to light following the “me too” movement). She was celebrated for her sexuality, independence and flirtatious femininity - an icon in the modern feminist world. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
LIFE ON THE FARM Life on the farm. A little remembered farming crisis which began in 1920. It was brought on by the aftermath of World War I and crippled the agricultural industry. Higher manufacturing prices along with a decreasing demand though out the decade lead to an end of an era in America’s agricultural industry. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
FIELD HAND While researching our local history for the “Neighborhood” show I came across many old photographs of the working poor that were displaced by the depression and dust bowl of the 1930’s. Without a social safety net to help them through those troubled times many of our fellow countrymen lost what little they had. While some folks would rather not remember such hard times I believe the past sheds light on the path we are traveling today. And, in my humble opinion, there is nothing wrong with a little more light when you’re struggling to find your way. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
DUSTBOWL GANGSTERS My Grandmother poses for a snapshot with her fiance, Herman ‘Stumpy’ Orman. She called him ‘Stump’. He earned the name by losing several fingers to razor wire while running from the police. When she learned how deep in with the Nucky Johnson crew Stumpy really was, she threw the ring in his face and took her chances alone in the teeth of the great depression. This picture was taken in happier times. Two poverty hardened kids living as fast as they can in the leanest of times. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
EVENING SLIPPERS, 1938 These shoes, designed in 1938 by my great grandfather Israel Miller, are now in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum, donated by Cornelius Vanderbilt. From 1920-1960, I MILLER SHOES were considered the height of fashion for stylish women who could afford them. Andy Warhol got his start designing advertising for the company in the 1950s. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN WORKERS AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION I created this piece using watercolors, acrylics, and pens. I was given the 1930’s and decided to base my painting around women workers during the Great Depression, particularly the International Women’s Workers Union. I did some research and found an old black and white photograph from the mid 30’s that I decided to bring to life with primary colors at the forefront. My biggest goal was to recreate particular attention to the stress of the workers and the despair of their work environment. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
TIKI POP Tiki Pop is a work carved into 64 layers of alternating colors of acrylic paint which, when carved, mimics the natural wood grain seen in carved Tiki idols. The flamingo and alligator inspired swamp Tiki idols of the artist's own creation dominate the work's foreground portraying the intersection of the growing Florida tourism market and blossoming Polynesian pop culture in post-WWII America. The work's background is a wallpaper of popular late 1940's Tiki cult motifs including Trader Vic styled graphic designs, Don Beachcomber inspired palm trees, and kakau-esque tattoo patterns presented in a color palette reminiscent of early CMYK print advertisements and Florida tourism kitsch. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
ALYCE, CLEVELAND 1943 In the 1940s, my grandmother Alyce found herself teaching, breifly, before she got married and was no longer allowed to hold that position. (The marriage bar, that kept married women from holding jobs, was terminated in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act.) This is a class photo from her brief stint as an instructor in 1943. In researching the 40s, I was intrigued by their unique aesthetic approach to textiles. The flights of fancy and opulence of the 50s hadn’t taken hold, and while patterns were present, there was a focus of rationing and material shortages, in the wake of the war. The premium placed on usefulness and resourcefulness was apparent in the often-used geometric designs. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
PORTRAIT OF SALVATORE GULINO IN THE 1940s Salvatore Gulino, my grandfather, and the man after whom I was named, was a career photographer in New York in the 20th century. In the 1940s, he did most of his work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as an unlisted man. He could have sailed with the Navy on the very ships he photographed, but as a dedicated family man, he instead chose to remain close to home. Even though I never got to know him as he passed away too soon, I’ve felt connected to him throughout my life, from knowing he was proud to share a name with his grandson, through studying photography as a student, and through my work as an artist. Creating this work, celebrating the 1940s and in his memory, has brought me a greater sense of closeness to him and the legacy he left. The vintage photo enlarger upon which his sculpted portrait sits, came from his basement darkroom. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
WAR IS THE BOMB My piece “War is the Bomb” depicts an aging general whose head has been replaced by an ominous mushroom cloud while spherical, red “atomic”particles, reminiscent of the red circle of the Japanese flag, fly around him. Underneath, a strip of destroyed landscape is covered with rusted barbed wire. The title is ironically using flippant slang that shouldn’t be applied to a cataclysmic event in wartime (I.e. “you’re the bomb!” Is typically a positive expression meaning someone or something is very good or successful). This is similar to someone being a “bombshell” (I.e. sexy and good looking). It also brings to mind those who have never experienced war, but who enthusiastically pound the war drum from behind a keyboard The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, while generally seen in the United States as a necessary step to save American lives and end the war in the Pacific, were horrific events for non combatants— a fact that the passage of time and distance has often obscured. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
AMERICAN SWING The first half of the 1940’s will be forever marred by the events of World War II, but an unmistakably joyful style of music gave many a soldier slight respite from the atrocities of combat. Swing, the danceable upbeat big-band sound was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1946, a time also known as the Swing Era. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL ... AGAIN. The shot is based on the film released in 1951. The space traveler was bringing a gift from his world which would heal all illness, being the crazy people we were (and are), earthlings reacted predictably, shot the guy and destroyed the device. We have learned nothing as a species when faced with the answer to a pandemic. Full circle. I was born in 1951. The world was grappling with poliomyelitis, more commonly known as polio. A crippling disease that most who were infected recovered from, not all and some with lifelong paralysis. Many of those infected were children. Parents struggled to keep their children from infection. And then Jonas Salk discovered a vaccine. Lines formed as people raced to be vaccinated, to have their children vaccinated. Presently polio is virtually nonexistent, thanks to the vaccine. In September of 1951, one of my favorite movies was released, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. The plot evolves around an interplanetary traveler, Klaatu and a robot, Gort. Representatives of other life forms in the universe, Klaatu brings a gift, a device enabling our president and the world to communicate with those other life forms. Earth, populated by people filled with “unreasoning suspicions and doubts”, not only destroy the device, but kill Klaatu. A dire warning is given to Earth to mend our ways or suffer the consequences. In looking for a subject for my fifties entry, I found a disturbing parallel in the “unreasoning suspicions and doubts” to COVID but interestingly, none in our approach at that time to vaccine. Field trials for the polio vaccine were just over two years, less than the time of study currently now past on COVID-19 vaccines and still the doubters remain. Klaatu’s message remains unheard. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
POP CULTURE 1950s Pop Culture 1950s |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
LUCILLE BALL I went with the 50’s for my decade. Growing up I spent a lot of time watching tv. Once we got cable I got really into Nick at Night and golden era tv sitcoms. I Love Lucy has always been a favorite so I thought I’d make a Lucille Ball to pay tribute to that time in my life and my connection to the 1950’s. Hope you dig her! |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
ELEGANT IDEAL "Elegant Ideal" started as an homage to the simplicity of design from the 1950's fashion and film that I have always loved. The glamorous Liz Taylor in her transition stage from child actor to adult star, gazes off wistfully in her gauzy, dreamy dress with a calm undulating landscape behind her; which I meant to be a nod to the landscape artists of the time. The dress, the lady herself, the fashions of the time were all carefully created to idealize feminine beauty and in turn idealize American culture. As with everything idealized, reality is almost always far from the truth. As I began to delve into the era, the corruption became hard to ignore in the entertainment industry. Child abuse, drugging stars, the casting couch, discrimination, sexism, hyper sexuality, and so much more hides beneath the golden veneer of the industry still alive and well to this day. In the 1950s it thrived like a bloated monster off the lives of it’s actors slowly building the power base we know today. While it was a beautiful time to look back on, it wasn’t without it’s pain and victimization. Both aspects of this history should be remembered simultaneously so we create a better place for creatives in the future. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
POWDER POOCH 1/3 The Powder Pup series was produced for the Decades exhibition at Mize Gallery. This work is a fourth wave feminist response to the reclaimed history of 1960's artist Margaret Keane. Her work inspired a whole stylistic movement from fine art all the way to Wallgreens. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
1960 CHEVY IMPALA My work includes elements of printmaking, photography, and painting on canvas. The piece is influenced by the 60s works of abstract painters such as Pollock and Rauschenberg as well as the screen prints of Warhol and black and white photography of Ed Ruscha. I used an image transfer process to embed my photo of a classic1960 Chevy Impala convertible into an abstract, intuitive, mixed-media painting. I am currently creating a series of these works. Each piece is on 9"x12" canvas and matted to 16"x20". Materials include acrylic paint, gesso, white gel pen, spray paint, and image transfer from a B&W laserjet print. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
AGE OF AQUARINS The 60's were a time of social, political, and spiritual revolution. They were a time in which the U.S., in the throws of senseless war and social inequality started to embrace alternative forms of spirituality via yoga, meditation, astrology, Jungian psychology, and Eastern philosophy. My piece is a mandala, which historically is used as a tool for deep meditation and contemplation. The arrangement is comprised of the sacred geometry pattern of ‘The Flower of Life’. In the process of making this piece (a meditation in and of itself), the image of the peace sign began to emerge. So let’s bring some ‘Flower Power’ and peace signs into 2022! The title of the mandala is a reference to the iconic 1960s musical Hair. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
PSYCHEDELIC PAISLEY Fluorescent biomorphic shapes seem to undulate in a psychedelic pattern reminiscent of the iconic paisley of the 60’s. Paisley symbolizes peace, love, rebellion, multiculturalism and expanded consciousness. It was worn by The Beatles and seen everywhere during The Summer of Love. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
FEED YOUR HEAD “This piece is inspired by the music, fashion, and psychedelic art movement of the late ‘60s. With the use of vibrant colors, clashing patterns and organic lines reminiscent of this time, I aimed to create a snapshot like portrait that embodies the eccentric, playfully rebellious energy and mind-altering escapism of that era.” |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
ORANGE CRUSH ''Orange Crush'' is a ludic and colorful interpretation of the glam essence of the 70's. The muse icon represent herself the liberty, the symbiose with the music and her liberation. I wanted to create a piece that is like a jar of candy for the senses. The palette is fruity and acidulated and coherent with the typical colors of this era. The esthetic with the brush and the make up is a direct link with the creativity and the importance of exploration too. The feminity and the sensuality of the character are dominant too in the proposition of the piece. The mouvement in the painting invite the public to let himself spin around in this funky and disco swirl decade. The pop culture and the classic old good advertisements gave me the envy to named, with a touch of irony, my piece ''Orange Crush'' |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
SALVATOR DISCO Not since the bacchanalian excesses of pagan Rome has there been an era as giddily hedonistic as the glittering 1970s. It was a time when the relentless pursuit of pleasure became society’s raison d’être—only to be eclipsed a few short years later by the arrival of AIDS, Reagan, and rising fundamentalist Christianity. This work puts a humorous 70s twist on DaVinci’s masterpiece, Salvator Mundi, using Studio 54’s infamous man-in-the-moon-with-a-coke-spoon, along with the RORER 714 Quaalude, as core icons around which a louche narrative unfolds. A sprinkling of diamond dust, strategically placed at the end of a very long “disco nail,” creates a sparkly, textural nod to the decadence of the era. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THE GOLDEN AGE OFGENERAL RELATIVITY During an age of discovery and thought, the study of general relativity entered the mainstream of theoretical physics. Known as the Golden Age of General Relativity, such concepts as black holes and gravitational singularities were introduced to the general public. The study of physical cosmology was also a focus during this time in the early seventies. These concepts still fascinate and bewilder us today. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
THE SMELL OF BURNT ALMONDS This piece is my play on the philosophy of Yin and Yang. The title comes from an excerpt of an Alan Watts lecture from January 1st, 1973 where he describes the experience of an investigator who recorded the epiphany that was had during a moment of spiritual awakening as “Everything in this universe is the smell of burnt almonds.” I draw great influence from the music, art, spiritual exploration, and philosophical thought of the late 60s and early 70s. Like kids on a playground in the long shadows of an afternoon sun, great thinkers and artists like John Cage, Curtis Mayfield, Merce Cunningham, Patti Smith, Alan Watts, Nick Drake, Cher, David Bowie and many others have been incremental in my approach to art and life. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
MADONNA Madge. The Material Girl. The Queen of Pop. Madame X. Whatever you call her, Madonna Louise Ciccone has been a cultural and musical tour de force for nearly 40 years. I’ve drawn Madonna a few times over the years. The first time was in 1985 when I was just 18 years old. My latest piece is this iconic image of Madonna taken by the amazing photographer, Herb Ritts. It was used for the cover of her multi-platinum 1986 album, True Blue. It’s also one of my all time favorite images of her, so of course I had to draw it! |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
TOTALLY BITCHIN’ Although I missed living in the decade, I have always been completely intrigued and enamored with the 1980s. The hair, the fashion, the movies, the music. It all has its appeal. So when I had the chance to be a part of this exhibition, I immediately knew which decade to choose. This piece is loosely inspired by the fashion of the 80s along with the iconic patterns and colors seen so often throughout the decade. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
RADIO Hip hop was said to be just a fad in the 1980s! But it has aged hell just like LL.Cool J! He was At the start of it all, and is still here to this day! |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
GATHERING UNDER THE NEON GLOW I'm a child of the eighties. I grew up with My Little Pony, Ghostbuster and the early video games. Of course, at this time the top of the fashion was to have some neon clothing, and the "Memphis pattern" was all the rage. Those are the good things that I remember. And then there was also the Chernobyl disaster. Even though it's very far from where I live (Canada), adults were telling us all sorts of very frightening tales. Not to mention all the other things that we could see or read about it on the tv and magazines. So here is a painting of peoples gathering around memories, with the color of my childhood. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
HIP HOP Homage to the golden age of hip hop. When the master of ceremonies command the crowd, and the DJ had you sweating out your pores during your first taste of the night life. Inspiring dancers to break, and painters paint. The 4 Elements of hip hop. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
I GREW UP IN THE 90’s I can’t begin to explain the feelings and emotion I felt while creating I Grew Up In the 90’s. I haven’t been more connected to any other piece. I was taken back to my childhood, growing up in Newtown where circumstances were not always the best for my family. We didn’t have everything we wanted, but we had great music and In my opinion hip hop was at it’s best. We had great TV shows that were entertaining, but they also taught us life lessons. Because of the people and things that influenced me in the 90’s I was able to dream. This self-portrait of a younger me represents some of the things that were important to me growing up. I am who I am today because of the 90’s. The 80’s made me, the 90’s raised me. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
LITTLE MISS BADASS Back in the 90s, I read the work of a lot of indie comic writers - Lynda Barry, Charles Burns, Pete Bagge, etc. - but my favorite was definitely Daniel Clowes. And my favorite comic of his was Ghost World. Ghost World ran during the years of 1993-1997 which was a very formative time for me. I graduated from high school in 1991 and Ringling College of Art and Design in 1995. By 1997 I was making plans to leave my hometown. Although the main character, Enid Coleslaw, was a teenager fresh out of High School, and I was in college and then newly graduated, the themes of angst, disconnection, and a desire to leave the past behind, still resonated with me. I also identified strongly with Enid because of her sense of humor. Using sarcasm and biting wit to keep up a tough exterior. When the movie version of Ghost World came out, I was very excited to see it. And overall, I really enjoyed it. Thora Birch nailed Enid's mannerisms and Scarlet Johanssen was great as her friend/alter-ego, Becky. For this painting, I wanted to pay homage to both the comic and the movie, so I chose to paint Thora's Enid with the comic's more saturated color scheme. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
90s KID The 90s were a pivotal time in my life so I was excited to represent the decade in the show. One of my favorite shows was “Save by the Bell” so I wanted to make sure that the piece had those vibes. The intro is so iconic. I wanted to represent some items from my youth. There are so many iconic toys, games and pop culture events it was hard to decide what I wanted to create. I also wanted to dip into some of the music of the times as well. In the end I hope this piece puts off the fun energetic vibes of the 90s that I remember. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
SUMMER SELFIE ‘06 The Aughts were a strange time of artistic bankruptcy. Jingoistic music, confused and frustrated youth, and strange fashion choices. But internet culture was exploding, kids chatting over AIM, MySpace, and DeviantArt. There were no influencers, no attention economy, only the promise of "Web 2.0" and the end of the Dot Com era. Thinking on the fashion, tech, and politics, I chose a human moment. Two sisters, perhaps seeing each other after being away at college for a long year. She takes a selfie with her new digital camera. We find it years later, on an old forgotten computer, the hum of the degauss as it powers on for the first time in what? 8 years? More? The boxy CRT is set in a widescreen frame, letterboxing it, drawing attention to how different--and maybe simpler--things used to be. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
 |
THE CYBORG GRIOT/gree-ow/:QUEST2068 This piece voyages into the aesthetics of Afrofuturism by connecting past relics and harvesting celestial ancestral cultures. Her historical tails are as long as the Nile she aims to connect those from the black diaspora with their forgotten African ancestry. With counsel to uplift and educate the future generations, she acts as a beacon, allowing them to follow the tides of their yesteryears to make improvements and evolve in the future. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |
 |
ETERNAL FLAME FOR HUMANITY The Body is Sacred. |
OON WAYUP HIGH, HERE ARE YOU AND |