Elyse Dodge is a fabulous artist based in Los Angeles, but she grew up just down the lake from where I grew up! Yep, we’re just a couple of girls from the Okanagan Valley talkin’ about mountains, lakes, graphic design, murals and everything in between… ie., there are a LOT of tangents and side stories that have nothing to do with art, so just pretend your eavesdropping on two old friends {who’ve never met!} catching up at a cafe.

Alright, first up, a few of my favorites from Elyse’s gorgeous painting portfolio:

You know what’s coming… gasp! Yep. Speaking of which, here’s the painting that made me cry on Christmas morning:

Isn’t that gorgeous!? She captured it perfectly… probably partly because she knows those mountains and vineyards so well. ps. Is that my pink couch? No. Do I wish it was? YES.

Next, here are a few of the digital illustrations Elyse was talking about:

Breathtaking! And I love that this provides options for people when it comes to affordability. Smart, smart, smart.

Okay. Look at this… one of Elyse’s mountain ranges wrapping around a building!?

Gasp… again! This was a mural Elyse did for the 2019 Vancouver Mural Festival. 3000 square feet of surface to paint; 128 paint colors; 11 days of painting; 81 hours that she was onsite; 14 iced soy lattes; 3 almost full time painters; 4 single day painters; 4 babysitters to help watch her baby; 1 awesome husband to help at home. PHEWF! I just need to take a moment because I’m in awe. Stun. Ning.

Alright, I’m ready to keep going. Remember those skis I mentioned?

Now that is what a perfect collaboration looks like! She did this digital drawing of Cerro Torre in Patagonia for J Skis’ limited edition Masterblaster skis. Check out the skis right here, and buy a print of Elyse’s Cerro Torre right here.

Ooooh, and this mid-century beauty is “Lemon Drop”:

I love that she pitched this to a client. If you want to try new things, DO IT! You’ll be surprised by how many people want to come along for the ride! Oh, perfect segue:

Hahaha! Proof that Elyse can stand up on a surf board, and a lovely shot of her soon-to-be family of four! She’s going to be surrounded by a whole bunch of boys who love her so much. Thanks so much to Elyse for doing this with me during such a ridiculously busy time in her life; thanks to Create! Magazine for supporting this episode {link to submit below}; and thanks to you for listening. ART FOR YOUR EAR will be on a summer break through July and August, but back in action this September. If you need a tide over until then, please sign up for ‘The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society” and I’ll deliver artsy goodness to your inbox every Monday through Saturday. Have a lovely weekend! ~ Danielle

Other links:

1. Elyse on Instagram
2. Commission a painting or digital piece
3. Ian Tan Gallery, Vancouver
4. Jeff Topham, Photographer
5. Vancouver Mural Festival
6. J Skis, Vermont
7. Tax Collection on Instagram
8. SUBMIT to Create! Magazine’s call for art: Wed June 30th DEADLINE

NFT… WTF? Yes, it’s been a weird week filled with news articles about digital art selling for millions of dollars. Huh? Exactly. Well, after reading way too many articles that still didn’t really help me understand what an NFT is {Non-Fluffy-Towel?}, I invited my good friend, artist Trey Speegle, to come on the podcast to give us the inside scoop, because if anyone can put the FUN in “Non-FUNgible Tokens”, it’s Trey! He dipped his toe into the NFT pool this past Wednesday, so we talked on Tuesday for the “I wonder what’s going to happen” conversation, and then we hit record again on Friday for the “did anything happen or not” follow up! You can listen on the player above, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

First up, here are a few of the vintage shadow boxes Trey was talking about… ah, where it all began:

This was the first of Trey’s work I ever saw… obviously, I fell in love immediately! Here are a few of his more recent pieces, from his “Political Animals” show:

GRAB is my favorite. So clever.

Alright, let’s get into it shall we? Here are a few of Trey’s freshly minted NFTs:

I really like the statement Trey wrote on the subject, so I popped that in there too. Wait, could he mint and sell that too!? Probably.

So, wanna see the NFT that sold for over $69 million at Christie’s on Thursday? Here you go:

“Beeple, EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, 2021”. Congratulations, Beeple… this is definitely one for the art history books!

And finally, a quick peek at a couple of things. One: the piece I did for Trey’s “69/19” show at Gallery 52. One of the theme’s the artists could choose was Woodstock, and it called to me. Two: baby Lamonte and Lamonte celebrating his Sweet 16 in January:

Boobs, and an Ewok in a bowtie. You’re welcome. Thanks so much to Trey for coming on and sharing his NFT experiment with us, and thank YOU for listening! There will be a brand new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. TreySpeegle.com
2. Trey on Instagram
3. YoNo Mints
4. Rarible 
5. Christie’s Auctions
6. Beeple, Artist
7. Trey’s Post on NFTs
8. Gallery 52 on Artsy
9. My piece at Gallery 52 {boobs!}
10. ‘The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society’

“Figures Of Playful Rebellion” at UNTITLED ART 2020, Miami. Oh, I love every single circular piece! This is the vibrant and joyful work of Nigerian artist Dennis Osadebe. Here are a couple of excerpts from Dennis’ artist statement to explain the WHY and the WHAT behind his work:

Osadebe’s vibrant post-pop style is centered around the idea of reimagining Africa through the use of positive, provocative, and progressive imagery, and narratives, forging a dialogue where tradition meets invention and innovation. Through juxtaposing elements of the past alongside the present, while utilizing his Nigerian heritage as a starting point, Osadebe places Africa in the context of the future and its limitless possibilities  …

Osadebe’s process blurs the line between digital and psychical. The digitally composed scenes are elevated by painted adornments of carefully selected areas. This distinct texture change is inherent to the narrative of the work, by providing a visual relationship between the processes of the new generation artists and old masters together. Osadebe consequently renders each work as unique, as he removes the possibility for digital reproduction. The references to traditional materials and crafts, such as masks and colorful textiles, are inspired by the historic arts and culture of Osadebe’s home, Nigeria.

Beautiful. Happy Monday.

Oh. My. Word. This is the absolutely stunning work of American photographer Tawny Chatmon. Yes, photographs. Well, that’s where these Klimt-inspired beauties begin. Here is part of her statement that explains why, and how, she does what she does:

“The primary theme that drives my art practice today is celebrating the beauty of black childhood. I am currently devoted to creating portraits that are inspired by artworks spanning various art periods in Western Art with the intent of bringing to the forefront faces that were often under-celebrated in this style of work. 

My camera remains my primary tool of communication, while my constant exploration of diverse ways of expression moves me to add several different layers using a variety of mediums. After a portrait session is complete, I typically digitally manipulate my subjects and unite them with other components to achieve a work that is a new expression. Often lending to them the eyes of someone their elder and more wise and almost always exaggerating their hair and features in a celebratory way. Thereafter, I may superimpose antique patterns and textures, collage vintage botanical and wildlife illustrations, or add hand-drawn digital illustration. If I feel I am not yet complete, after each portrait is refined and printed, I may combine paint and gold leaf adding ornamental elements inspired by 19th-century artworks. By experimenting with various art practices, I allow myself to follow no set of rules while creating instinctually and fluidly. Each layer serves its very own meaningful purpose.”

Beautiful on so many levels.

Yes! Today’s guest on ART FOR YOUR EAR is New York based artist and illustrator Amber Vittoria. We have been overlapping on projects throughout this crazy quarantine, so clearly I took that as a sign from the universe to get her on the podcast! Amber works almost exclusively with the female form, which – you guessed it – I asked her about. Turns out, she worked in advertising at the beginning of her career, and found that she couldn’t relate at all to the images of women being used – so she started creating her own, very stylized bodies. Anyway, we’ll start at the beginning and work our way up to those stories! We recorded this a couple of weeks ago, knee deep in lockdown so take a listen right up there under that curvy, flower-carrying lady, or subscribe right here.

First up, the results of a six week artist residency she did earlier this year at Facebook’s Analog Lab in New York:

See why I asked her about these pieces? I love the work so much, and her reasons behind this series:

“Inspired by the modern embrace of individuality within office spaces, this risograph poster series leverages bright and colorful portraits of women heading into work. Historically, women and their personalities tend to be quieted or ignored within an office setting; these portraits aim to be a playful nod to celebrate how society has began to empathize with womanhood and the stories, thoughts, and ideas women bring to the table.” 

Amazing, right?! Okay, up next … Ambers’s HAPPY SOCKS!

So much fun! This was one of my biggest take-aways from this episode… that Amber continues to create the work she wants to create, using her very personalized style of drawing female figures, and the brands come to her FOR HER! This is the dream, and she’s living it.

Speaking of brands, here’s a lineup of some of her collaborations, starting with this pair of shoes she did with K-Swiss:

Not only are these sneakers delicious, I mean gorgeous, listen to the concept behind them:

“Through the bright colors of “This Space Is For You,” this collaborative K-Swiss Classic pair celebrates the space women have made to express themselves both physically and emotionally. The woman in the piece also pushes to create even more space, representing the continued crusade for intersectional feminism and equality amongst genders. This collaboration had an international release on International Women’s Day.”

Next, her mural that is installed in the Warby Parker shop in Boston:

So cool! I scoured Amber’s Instagram feed for the photo she took when she popped in for a visit, but alas, an official interior shot will have to do.

But wait, we’re not even close to finished! How about the work Amber did for the “social launch of Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Love Eau So Sweet scent. The pieces embody the bright scent of Eau So Sweet, leveraging fruity decoration, daisy iconography, and warm musk coloring.” Yeah they do:

I can’t handle all of this goodness… and we haven’t even gotten to Gucci yet:

The first piece was a commission for Gucci’s DIY knitwear collection and the second illustration was for a perfume campaign.

Oooh, and this just launched! Amber’s latest class on Skillshare came out a few weeks ago, and is titled “Intuitive Illustration: 4 Quick, Fun Exercises to Unlock Creativity”:

She shares all sorts of tricks for getting out of your head… which you just know I absolutely LOVE!

Oooh, this is brand new info too. I just curated a new online show on Showfields’ site, and of course I reached out to Amber to ask for a couple of her pieces. She said, yes:

Yes! I love everything she does, but there’s something about this soft, blurred colors that speak to me. These two pieces are originals and are still available… but I’m betting not for long!

And finally, I had to include a few process shots. I love that she combines digital and analog in her work because, as she said, that kind of defines her creative experience so far. Here she is adding analog to the digital right in front of our eyes:

Love! Speaking of love… she posted that ‘line and scribble or lollipop or rose or a stop sign’ on Instagram a couple of days ago, and I just had to share it... oh art, the possibilities really are endless. Sigh. Ok, with that I will say thank you so much to Amber for doing this with me, and thanks to YOU for listening. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Amber’s online shop : Originals / Prints
2. Amber on Instagram
3. Amber’s class on Skillshare
4. Showfields x TJC Show
5. Happy Socks… go get some!

“Still A Kid Inside”… that’s the title of the first piece above, and exactly how I want to feel when I’m making art! This is the work of Amsterdam based artist and educator Angela Maria Sierra, aka Riso Chan. This strange moment in history felt like the perfect time for me to come across Angela’s work. She beautifully blurs the line between analog and digital mark-making, and for me, the world has never felt more like a mishmash of analog and digital than it does right now… so many of us desperately wanting to connect with people face-to-face, while discovering wonderful new ways to stay together online.

A ‘rags to riches stories’? Nope, this is a ‘dentist to artist’ story! Yep, Pakistani artist Sara Shakeel was one exam away from becoming a dentist, and now she’s covering everything from stretch marks to dining tables in crystals. Now, before you hit PLAY, I have a technology disclaimer. We had a bunch of wifi issues but we did our best with all of the glitches, and stops n starts, redials and trying to remember where we left off when the call dropped. Huge thanks to my producer, and handsome husband, Greg for making this sound like one call. Ok, let’s get this sparkly party started. You can listen right up there under the most fabulous hand-washing ever, or subscribe here.

First up, a few of my favorite pieces from Sara during this global pandemic. And yes, her very popular ‘toilet paper’ is starting things off:

Love. It. All.

Ok, popping back in time a little bit for these next images. These are some of her first pieces… the images she created while locked in her room after returning home from dentistry school:

Ahhh, so fun! And, yes, those are the diamond lipsticks that added 15,000 new followers to her Instagram feed… over night.

Next up… a few of her beautiful, powerful and, of course, sparkly @glitterstretchmarks :

Hell YES.

Okay, so how about taking a whole bunch of Swarovski crystals into London’s NOW Gallery in order to create “The Great Supper” {and I had to include the toast and egg that started that train}:

Oh my word. Can you even imagine attaching alllllll of those crystals onto alllllll of those objects… in 28 days?! I’m dizzy just thinking about it.

From playing around with an app on her phone, to showing in galleries and collaborating with brands… here is the cover Sara recently did for Grazia Magazine, oh, and a little album cover she just did too:

Um, yeah… Chance the Rapper, hanging out on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, showing off the album that Sara created the artwork for. Damn!

I also had to include these pieces too, for obvious reasons:

I wonder how much your dentist bill would be if you did this? Hm.

And finally, let’s finish things off with this lil beauty:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Apr 21, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

Looooove! And now I want a bling-covered fruit salad. Thank you so much to Sara for taking the time to do this with me, thanks to Sugar Alykmi for supporting this episode {check out her workshop right here}, and thanks to YOU for listening! There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

ps. If you wouldn’t mind leaving a rating/review of the podcast on iTunes, I’d be very appreciative. I got a 1 outta 5 the other day {because I had the audacity to bring up politics} and I’d love a little help getting bumped back up. Thank you!

OH. Yes, that was exactly my thought, too.

Um, is this real?! Well, depending on the dimension you inhabit, I suppose. I certainly wish I could live in a world filled with fluffy pink clouds surrounded by bands ‘n dots of neon light floating in perfect blue skies. This is the digital work of Swedish artist David Stenbeck, aka @dovneon on Instagram. The second I saw scroll by in my ‘ordinary world’ feed, I knew this was a place I wanted in on.

psst… Burning Man 2019 kicked off yesterday, so writing about a neon hula-hoop, hugging a pink cloud of smoke, floating in the desert just felt right, ya know.

Collages on cut panel … oh, hell YES. This is the work of Denver based artist Libby Barbee and I can safely say, as a collage artist myself, wowza – I am totally inspired! The way she uses cut panel to bring her work to life makes my heart race. All of the pieces above are from her series, titled Trophies, but please look through her whole portfolio to get a sense of her creativity and amazingness… case in point, Libby just finished this fantastic installation at Facebook HQ in Denver {images found on her Instagram feed}:

LOVE.

Imagine having such elaborate, fantastical daydreams that you’d rather spend your life lost in your imagination than living in reality. Enter “maladaptive daydreaming”, a psychiatric condition, and the topic of this lovely animation created by Brooklyn based artist/illustrator Lily Padula for an episode of NPR’s Invisibilia {Invisibilia is one of my favorite podcasts, so when I saw this piece from Lily in my submissions inbox, well, I jumped at the chance to write about it!} The episode/piece is titled, “When Daydreaming Gets In The Way Of Real Life”, and voila, here it is. Enjoy…

Beautiful and sad and wonderful.