At first, I thought, ‘Cool, vintage sign paintings’, until I realized what I was actually looking at… vintage signs and pop culture movies had a bunch ‘o babies! This is the work of Canadian artist Rob Croxford. Rob has been a full-time artist for almost two decades, but in May 2018, a studio fire all but destroyed his Toronto studio … and his complete inventory of artworks. I can’t even imagine. This series, titled “Sign of the Times”, is his fresh start. Here are Rob’s words about why he does what he does:

“As a child of the 70’s, I was mostly raised by television and movies. Advertising and pop culture became my religion and the wisdom I gleaned shaped my sensibilities as an artist … My new series of paintings is the culmination of all my obsessions. By integrating iconic movie quotes into the landscape of well worn roadside signage I am merging pop culture, nostalgia and humour. This blend of elements creates something familiar and yet completely new.”

Good luck on this ‘completely new’ adventure, Rob!

“My intention with this work is to reduce a “landscape” into a minimalized and stylized form. For these pieces I use organic shapes that were sawed from wood panels and a pared-down color palette which mirrors the “fading” of these landscapes.”

Do you love art? Do you love art books? Well, then have I got the perfect paintings for you! This is the gorgeous, large-scale work of American painter Robert Russell. If you happen to be in Los Angeles between now and June 1, go see his current show, titled “Book Paintings”, at Anat Egbi Gallery in Los Angeles. Happy Monday.

Ooooh, aaaaahhhh… the shapes, the palettes, the brushstrokes! This is the nature-inspired work of Vancouver based artist Amy Stewart… and I had to throw that last image in so you could see the scale. So lovely. Speaking of lovely, here are a few words from Amy’s site about her work:

“[Amy’s] pieces are often inspired by the feelings that come both from the natural world and from engaging fully in her community and with her loved ones. “I paint how I feel and who I am,” Stewart explains. And that sense of humanity—the private experiences of suffering and celebration—are evoked by her canvases’ unique explorations of colour, which range from exuberant bursts of brightness to contemplative reflections on darkness.”

“I paint how I feel and who I am.” Love.

This is the bold, vibrant, flower-filled work of Mexican born, Oakland based artist Jet Martinez. His work “reinterprets the Mexican folk art of Amate paintings” … onto canvases and gigantic walls all over the world! I accidentally found one of his pieces that last time I was in San Francisco, and you guessed it, they’re even more stunning in person. Happy Monday.

ps. Follow him on Instagram… so much goodness on his feed.

Sigh. Are you thinking about your grandmother right now? Me too. Oh, so many feelings, memories, smells … and these aren’t even my blankets! That is the magic of nostalgia, and when you combine beautifully boring subject matter with the insane oil painting skills of New Hampshire based artist Cindy Rizza, well, here we are. I wrote about Cindy six years ago, so I’m thrilled that I was recently pointed her way again. Here are Cindy’s words about her work:

“My work quietly examines familiar domestic comforts and the objects that we use to feel secure. In examining the unique identities of heirloom textiles and childhood nostalgia my work summons conflicting feelings of comfort and loneliness, hope and foreboding, and of life and loss. I aim to expose the contradictions within the subjects – to honor the comfort and love they bore, but unfold the truths of what we are fearful of in the darkness.“

Beautiful.

That final image is proof … cold hard proof that those delicate, thin, perfect little lines are done by HAND. Yes, the hands of California based artist Kelly Ording are responsible for all of this goodness. Paintings, drawings, collages made from cut up drawings all of which feature her insane line work. Seriously, my hands get shaky just looking at these pieces! If you happen to be in Sun Valley, Idaho in the next week, she currently has a show – titled “An Unseen World” – at Gilman Contemporary until April 15th, 2019.

ps. Some of her work is also available to buy via Local Language.

Oh, HELLO perfectly perfect two-person show! I have written about both of these artists, but never together … clearly, that needs to be corrected! Yes, the mysterious and crystal-filled work of Canadian painter Rebecca Chaperon, and American artist/jewelry designer Debra Baxter will be shown together at Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle. The side-by-side shows open this Thursday, April 11th 6-9pm … and speaking of side-by-side, both Rebecca and Debra will be there. You should go too.

Okay, that Godzilla girl, aka “Blowing Smoke”, is everything! ♥ These pieces are the work of American / Amsterdam based artist Mando Marie. They’re also part of a group show, titled Spotlight: Stencil, that opens tomorrow night {Saturday April 6th 6-8pm} at Hashimoto Contemporary in New York. I have written about Mando so many times, and I’m not stopping any time soon! That said, I’ve never seen her work in person, so if you’re in New York please go to this show so I can live vicariously through you. Thank you.

All artists in the show: Eelus, Jana & JS, Joe Iurato, Mando Marie, OakOak, Penny

Dream? Nightmare? Perhaps a fine blend of both. These pattern-covered, contemporary yet historical, highly narrative paintings are the work of American artist Kyla Zoe Rafert. Yes, I said paintings… hence including the closeups as proof. This is Kyla’s description of this latest body of work:

I see my current work as the truth bent to perfection. Set within a meticulously designed world of vanity, beauty, and abundant pattern, recent works evoke a carefully crafted stage rather than the happenstance of real life. Echoing fairy tales and Dutch genre paintings of the 17th century, my paintings illustrate adolescent girls and young women in scenes that play on Romantic notions such as the peril of curiosity, the potency of beauty, and the inevitable fall of innocence. Despite their childlike references however, these works are meant to embody the prophetic perspective of an adult looking backward to an overly romanticized, fictive past. As an adult, one can look longingly at this world of innocence, and whether it existed or not, they have always fallen from it: they have traded their naiveté for the role of a diviner. 

Beautiful.