Two artists? Yep. This is Manja Eland {left} and Saskia Overzee {right}, but together they are Observe A Fishtank. I have been following them on Instagram for ages, and have been totally curious about their collaborative paintings? How does it work? Who does what? I asked, and they told me:

OBSERVE A FISHTANK, a visual dialogue  Observe a Fishtank is the second of five drawing lessons by Paul Klee. It’s also the title of the drawing collaboration two artists from Eindhoven, the Netherlands initiated in 2018. Looking to challenge their artistic ability they started a visual dialogue. Saskia Overzee and Manja Eland met each other when they both had their studio at Sectie C. Since Manja moved they have been meeting at Saskia’s studio to draw together every couple of weeks.  

PROCESS  The artists try to stretch their artistic routines and drawing hand. When drawing on the same piece of paper they respond to each other’s input in texture and line, not shying away from working over what the other has drawn. The essence of their creative process is searching by doing. In the end result it is impossible to distinguish who did what, sometimes even for themselves. To work so closely together requires flexibility and trust. In this synergy they create work that they wouldn’t make alone. 1+1=3, you could say. The artists prefer work to be layered and complex, maybe even with a little friction.

All works are made with liquid acrylics, ink, pen, pencil and sometimes crayon on heavy paper. Dimensions vary from 30×42 to 100×150 cm.

SPIN OFFS  Under the title Observe a Fishtank they create collaborative originals but also individual spinoffs. Saskia makes digital collages based on parts of the drawings they made together. Manja sometimes incorporates bits and pieces of the originals as layers into her digital drawings. So not only do they create new collaborative work, they also let the style and creative process inspire and influence their own work.

So beautiful and fun and exciting! ps. Here’s an example of two of their “spin offs”. The first is by Saskia, and the second is Manja’s work:

*bio photo by Anniek Mol

Nightmares? At the very least, dreams you hope you wake up from really soon. This is the gorgeous / haunting work of Norwegian painter Lars Elling, and this is a description of his work, from Galleri Brandstrup, the gallery that represents him in Oslo:

Elling is a storyteller. His layers of imagery evoke memories of childhood, with the possible disturbance and trauma written between the lines. Family is the repetitive theme in Elling’s works; familiar moments infiltrated by surprising or unpleasant elements. The formalistic aspect of Lars Elling’s paintings is characterized by the erased and the broken. The pure visual expression has a meaningful function, where story and poetry are strong fundamentals. The paintings can be seen as a burst of memory, a description of a moment, where the almost experienced or almost seen is presented in a dreamlike and poetic expression, which can be compared to the poetic expressions in the works of Francis Bacon. Also like Bacon, Elling’s works also portray a description of the logic of feelings, and illustrate a beginning, a middle section, and an end, however not in that order.

{via Create Magazine’s Instagram}

*Gasp* I already loved these oil paintings so much, and then I saw the photos of the work installed and, yes, my heart skipped a beat… the scale, the beautiful altars on the floor, all of it! And those ‘in studio’ images are breathtaking. This is the most recent work by Puerto Rico-born, New York-based artist Iruka Toro. This show just came down from the walls of LaCa Projects in Charlotte North Carolina, but these are their words about “THE IRUKA ELVIS SPELL”:

Transcendence. Transformation. Surrender. In her third solo exhibition at LaCa Projects, these themes are evident in Iruka Maria Toro’s new body of work, which offers deeply personal insights into her recent name change and the evolution of her work in tandem with a constant exploration of her spiritual identity. Through a system of complex but connected clues into deeply-rooted belief systems, Toro invites viewers inside her world, with references to the tarot, magic, prayer, ritual, femininity, and medicinal practices. As if painting with a technicolor lens, Toro makes visible hidden spiritual dimensions through intense, color-saturated works, intimate and careful dissections of living flora, and juxtapositions revealing a unique and important relationship, echoing her steadfast reverence to the natural environment and its undeniable connection to humankind.

Sigh. Magic.

Oooh! This is the newest work by Toronto based painter Kristy Blackwell. I’ve written about her before {here and here}, but she continues to push her work – and herself – further and further… it’s so exciting to watch that I just had to write again! Some of her work is part of an upcoming group show which is part of Toronto FAC {Feminist Art Collective}‘s Feminist Art Fest 2020, taking place at OCADU March 5-7. Not only is there an art exhibition, there’s also a film night and conference … get tickets right here.

ps. She’s also showing her work this weekend at Artist Project Contemporary Art Fair in Toronto… and it opens TONIGHT! More info right here.

Ah, the work of California based artist Casey Gray… they’re always like an image search puzzle … for grownups. If you want an up-close look, Casey currently has a show at Hashimoto Contemporary in San Francisco, titled “I Can Taste The Sun”. Here’s the show description:

Utilizing his signature, complex masking and aerosolized acrylic technique to create densely detailed and symbolic works, Gray has created a series of paintings, sculptures and works on paper that celebrate the simple joys in life – from the idyllic landscapes of California to a perfect summer picnic.

Drawing from the world around him, Gray seamlessly incorporates historical painting tropes alongside studio ephemera to create surreal yet plausible still lives and scenes. Each painting is an invitation to the viewer to decode the symbolism and underlying narrative or statement held within the work, like an unfolding poem. The exhibition explores “the power of nature and the outdoors to nourish and heal.”

Dynamic new sculptural works and experimental works on paper will also be debuted at I Can Taste the Sun, showcasing Gray’s multi-faceted practice. A continuation of his wavy symbol paintings, the sculptures pull individual elements such as a flower or tree into an undulating, three dimensional object. Illustrative and graphic works on paper serve as snapshots of moments between paintings, rounding out the artist’s sun soaked world.

You’ll be able to taste the sun until February 29, 2020.

Love, love, love… indeed! Oh my word, I love everything about this work by American artist Tara Lewis. Her latest show, titled “Hell Yes!”, is currently showing at Lyons Wier Gallery in New York until February 22, 2020. You’re gonna go, right!? Here is snippet from Tara’s site about her work:

Tara Lewis creates paintings that dive into youth culture anthropology with a pop twist.  Lewis creates large scale oil portraits of models wearing t-shirts, pageant sashes and other wearables designed and printed by the artist that center on evolving perceptions of youth, irreverence, girl culture, beauty, identity, teen trends, girl empowerment, social issues and pop culture, often referring to past decades and pre-internet sources in re-freshed and boldly mundane and relevant ways. The Preppy Handbook, Seventeen and movies such as The Royal Tanenbaums, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and her MTV childhood stand as huge inspirations and prompts for oil portraits.

Um, what else can I say except… HELL YES! Happy Monday.

Sigh, gorgeous. I wrote about California based artist Vincent Xeus almost two years ago, and here we are again… can you blame me? Oil on linen, beautifully capturing faces from decades past. And his dreamy color palette? Seriously, don’t get me started. Love, love, love!

{Some of his work can be found via Gallery 1261 in Denver}

Aaaaaaaaaand exhale. These dreamy paintings are all part of a series titled “Blue Bay” by UK based artist Yuliya Martynova. Yep, she’s based in London and was born in Kazakhstan, but clearly has a love of tropical waters … as do I. As a matter of fact, as you’re reading this, I’m on my way to Hawaii! My plan is to experience several of these washy blue dreamscapes… headfirst! Happy Friday.

Ooooooh, now this is my kind ‘o seascape… abstract skies and the most colorful water around. This is the work {oil on canvas} of New Zealand born, Sydney based artist Tyrone Layne. I don’t know about you, but I see a cockatoo, a pink bunny, and a pair of googly eyes in those clouds… or maybe I just need more coffee on this fine Monday morning.

*some of his work is available via Saatchi Art.

Oh my word… this is the absolutely gorgeous work {acrylic and graphite on canvas} of Nikoleta Sekulovic. She was born in Rome, to a German mother and a Serbian father, and now lives in Madrid with her family. Not only do I love her work, but I also love that her entire portfolio site features her work AND her daughters running around while she works… a perfect example of a woman being an artist and a mother. Nikoleta creates large-scale portraits of women, and this is why:

‘Every single woman is different; the way my models pose reflects a part of who they are, expressing their personality. There is no pretense, no trying to act out, they are simply themselves, and that’s great. The way a woman thinks she should look or tries to conform to an ideal of beauty should not hold her back from being who she is.’ 

Ah, so beautiful! Also beautiful, this video of Nikoleta talking about her practice, motherhood, and the drive that pushes her to create.

ps. From January 28th until February 22nd some of her work can be seen at Rebecca Hossack Gallery in London.