Chris Silva

I first became aware of Chris Silva a few years ago when he was featured in Cody Hudson's spot on The Run Up; a DVD containing one-on-one interviews with a whole host of contemporary graffiti and street artists, desigers and photographers.

The great thing about Chris is, not just his artwork, but the fact that he really is about art as a collaborative and giving experience... collaborating not only with other artists, like on The Run Up with Cody and Mike Genovese in Chicago, but also working on projects like Yollocalli Arts Reach (last picture, below) which encourages youth creativity through experimental learning and collaboration with emerging artists.

Here are just a few examples of his great, upcycled collaborations with his wife, Lauren Feece. They totally inspire me to just create art out of anything, for anyone, in order to just give something of yourself and put something out there in the world.

 

 

 

How ace is Rich Kelly?

He is this ace:

There's plenty more here: http://rfkelly.com

The concept art of Ian McQue

Inspired by the work of Ralph McQuarrie, who was the guy who designed the original Star Wars trilogy, Ian McQue has become a kind of god of concept art. He’s currently Lead Concept Artist/Assistant Art Director at Rockstar North and has previously worked on the Grand Theft Auto video games.

He’s probably most recognisable though for his incredible pictures containing floating ships. There’s something pretty mesmerising about these colossal slabs of metal suspended in mid-air...

 

RIP Ray Harryhausen 1920–2013

So, just as I'm salivating over the latest stop-motion awesomeness from Laika, one of the genres most successful artists and pioneers, Ray Harryhausen, passes away. The number of present day animation masters he influenced is far too long to list here but, for me, the fact that that list includes the likes of Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, Henry Selick and Guillermo del Toro says it all.

Here is possibly his most famous moment which, when I saw it as a kid, thought was the most terrifying yet exciting and magical thing I had ever seen... Jason and the Argonauts.

ParaNorman Set Design

I finally got to see [the awesome] Laika studio's stop-motion animation film ParaNorman yesterday. Twice over actually. And again this morning. The set designs really knocked me over. Just like when I saw Coraline back in 2009.

I mean, take a look at these…

[photo credits unknown]

A Roar And Then Silence

When I was in my early teens, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a group of people who went on to be some of the greatest friends anyone could ask for. As we got older we would have house parties at weekends and drink… too much… like most teenagers. I loved these guys. The next morning I’d get home to my parents' house, which was on a hill with the back garden spilling into the woods behind, still carrying the effects of the night before. It was only in the following evening (usually a Saturday) that I would start reflecting on the previous night. And I’d get the biggest feeling of loneliness that I’ve ever felt. To spend an incredible time with close friends and then be alone with only the sounds of the nature to keep me company. This was pre-mobile phones and internet so you could only contact each other through land line phones… which we hardly ever did.

I used to climb this tree that was at the end of the garden… just to get that feeling of being free and in open space… in the air. I think I was trying to combat the suffocating feeling of being alone indoors.

I miss those days.

Framing

I've finally finished all the framing for my upcoming solo show this summer. Thank. God.