Philip Barlow is a South African painter. So often, when we think, “painting,” we think “photo realism,” and so does Barlow. Perhaps too closely. He paints realistic images that are slightly out of focus, like a photography might be.
Blurred painting by Philip Barlow.
The blur is familiar in photographs, but it seems interesting and strange in a painting. Barlow does it to leave much of the image understanding to the viewer.
“The figures in the landscape serve as carriers and reflectors of the light that falls upon them. Bathed in the luminosity, it is my hope that they would become more beautiful. To me, light is the ultimate subject because it embodies the pinnacle of all reality,” says Barlow.
Joe Sinness illustrates in colored pencil. Colored pencil is not an easy medium. The colors are blended on the paper, and layer upon layer of delicate color creates depth and vibrancy. It’s a time-consuming art form. But the results, when done well, are lovely.
Color pencil drawing by Joe Sinness.
And Sinness does lovely very well. His illustrations are rich and complex, whether the image is a flower or as complex as crumpled piece of mylar.
Color pencil illustration by Joe Sinness
Shi Shaoping sculpts eggs. The ceramic ovals weigh about 22 pounds each. Shi makes them in large numbers, takes them to remote locations in China and leaves them there.
The work questions the essence of life. The 3,000 eggs in placed in lonely locations emphasizes the potential of life and the ability of life to exist in a location after abandonment.
In that way, life creates the location in which it exists. Shi also opens the discussion of the link between art and life, and the reaction to both depending on the surrounding area.
Have a creative weekend!
–Quinn McDonald has inky hands and is making samples for Patti Digh’s Design Your Life camp.
QuinnCreative 