Victor Grasso

Gallery visitors have been full of questions about our currently featured solo artist, so we decided to sit down and ask him some questions. Meet Victor Grasso.

Victor in his studio with Last Tango In Xochimilco

Hi Victor! So, I know your basic biography, but other than things we have spoken about in person and the picture I have about you from your social media presence, I don’t really know that much about you. Is there anything specific you’d like to share? Why have you decided to become an artist? Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

Since the earliest moments of my memory, I have been infused with an innate desire to create and express myself through art. From a very young age, I knew that I was destined to pursue a career in the world of artistic expression. The desire to explore and push the boundaries of my creativity has always been an integral part of my identity, driving me to experiment with different mediums and techniques to find my unique artistic voice.

My artistic journey began with a childhood love of drawing comic book characters, which eventually led me to discover my passion for painting. For years, my focus was on achieving photorealism in my work, striving to create images that were indistinguishable from photographs. However, as I matured and immersed myself in the world of art, I began to see the beauty in embracing the touch of the artist's hand in creating something magical. This realization led me away from photorealism and towards a more imaginative and fantastical approach, fueled by my own creativity and the stories I was inspired to tell. Today, I am delving deeper into the realm of watercolor, exploring the possibilities of this medium to create characters and worlds that exist only in my imagination. It's a thrilling journey that has reignited my love for art and opened up new possibilities for my creative expression.

Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

I am a self-taught artist with a passion for drawing and painting that has been ingrained in me since my childhood. From my earliest days, I was drawn to comic book characters and monsters. Though I never had any formal art education or training, I was fortunate to land a job as a mural painter right out of high school. Through four years of hard work and dedication, I learned the basics of painting from established veterans of the field, honing my craft and paying my dues along the way. In my free time, I devoted myself to creating my own vision and making paintings for myself. And when I wasn't painting, I was immersing myself in the world of art, visiting museums and galleries to study the work of other artists and gain new insights and inspirations. This single-minded focus on my passion has defined my life for over 25 years now, and I continue to create and explore with a fierce devotion to the craft. 

Victor in his studio with Nimrod Ascending

You have a unique perspective and really, two distinct voices that come through. Where do you look for inspiration? What themes do you find most interesting?

As an artist, I am fascinated by the enduring power of mythology, folklore, fairy tales, and religion as sources of inspiration and creativity. These timeless themes offer a rich tapestry of characters, stories, and symbols that have captured the human imagination for centuries, and continue to do so today. Through my art, I seek to explore and interpret these themes in new and unexpected ways, bringing a fresh perspective to the ancient tales and symbols that have captivated generations. Whether I am drawing on the archetypes of mythology, the mystery and magic of folklore, or the spirituality of religion, I am always driven by these themes, and a desire to create art that is both meaningful and thought-provoking.

My sources of inspiration are scattered everywhere - in the pages of books, the reels of movies, in the strokes of other artists, in fleeting thoughts, in old sketches, in the delicious aroma of food, in the mesmerizing waves of the sea, in the beauty of animals, in the playful innocence of my children, and the list goes on and on.

What do you do when you’re not inspired?

I tend to sulk and wallow in misery. 

Hahaha - so, then what research do you do to find new inspiration when beginning a new piece?

As an artist, my creative process varies depending on the piece. If I have a specific vision in mind for a piece, I'll do my due diligence to research the subject matter and make informed decisions. This could include delving into historical events or exploring various mythologies. Other times, I'll draw inspiration from past artists who have tackled similar themes. However, there are moments where I'll simply let my creativity flow and see where I end up.

What are your ideal working conditions?

As a dedicated artist, I have carefully cultivated an ideal environment for my creative process. The “Lab”, my studio as I call it, is adorned with art books, carefully chosen to inspire and inform my work, I am surrounded by the tranquility of a cool, quiet atmosphere, complemented by the soothing melodies of chill music, when heavy metal needs a break. And my dog, Tomahawk is never far from my side, a loyal presence hanging out on his fur blanket waiting for the next walk in the beach. 

Do you identify most with any specific genre?

As an artist, my creative interests have evolved over time, bringing me to a place where I am drawn to the captivating worlds of magical realism, fantasy, and the baroque. These genres offer me a canvas on which to explore the depths of the human imagination and tell stories that are both fantastical and deeply resonant.

Your show, Paracosm, has been installed in the gallery for a couple of weeks now and I see the way people respond to each piece. Do you have any really memorable reactions to your work that you’d like to share?

One of my painting heroes, who has become a friend, gazed upon one of my pieces and said, “That’s a really good painting”.

Gallery installation view of PARACOSM, on view 4/12 - 5/27/2023

Do you have a favorite aritst?

I have a deep appreciation and respect for the work of countless creators and painters throughout history, making it difficult to choose just one who inspires me the most. Rather, my favorite artist and sources of inspiration shift and evolve over time, reflecting my current state of mind and creative focus.

Name three artists you’d like to study with, from the past or present and why.

Axe, 2023. watercolor on paper

I have many artistic inspirations, but at this time in my life the top three would have to be Frank Frazetta, Andrew Wyeth, and Walton Ford. Frazetta’s work has had a lasting impact on me since childhood, while Wyeth’s art revealed a push-and-pull between meticulousness and freedom. Ford's paintings are grand, humorous, historical, and probable yet improbable all at once, making for a multifaceted and inspiring body of work. I love that all three artists have excelled in both watercolor and oil painting, which are mediums that I'm most passionate about.

Do you think the arts have a place in politics?

Art has a place everywhere, even in the most unexpected places. It can be political, social, or simply an expression of the artist's imagination. Nothing should stop the creative flow, whether it's for a grand message or not, it’s entirely up to the artist.

Should art be publicly funded?

Hey, if it can jazz up a boring public space or honor something important to society, why not help artists create something that can make people stop and take notice?

What is your dream project?

The possibilities are endless. I've dreamt of designing a whimsical hotel and restaurant filled with fantastical paintings that transport guests to another world. Or creating a larger-than-life sculpture that people can interact with and climb on. And directing a movie that combines my love for art and storytelling, that’s a dream project worth dreaming about.

I always find it interesting to find out - what jobs have you done other than being an artist?

Back in my teenage days, I was a cook and to this day, I still have a deep passion for whipping up delicious meals in the kitchen. One of my all-time favorite recipes is a dish I learned to make when I was just 16: Beef Boscaiola. This pasta sauce is traditionally made with mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon, and cream, but our twist on it involved juicy filet tips that take it to a whole new level of “oh so good”!

What is the one thing you couldn’t you do without?

Beef Boscaiola

What do you think are your strongest abilities contributing to the success of your work?

I am a passionate and honest painter, creating works that are true to myself. I believe my dedication and perfectionism result in paintings that resonate with the viewer.

What role do you think the artist has in today’s society? 

Artists have always been record keepers of their time, reflecting what's going on in the world. Today's artists continue to document society, whether intentionally or not, as a default of being an artist.

Sphyrnidae, 2020. oil on linen

What’s the most important advice you could give to an aspiring artist?

To achieve your dreams, it’s important to follow your guts. That’s the stepping stones that encompasses your unique artistic goals and objectives. With this roadmap in hand, you must forge ahead with unwavering confidence, eschewing the temptation to compare yourself to others and instead embracing your singular identity as an artist. Way easier said than done.

Victor in his studio with The Magpie and the Mushroom

Tanya Gomelskaya

While preparing for her upcoming solo exhibition, SKIN DEEP, we managed to pull Tanya Gomelskaya away from her creations long enough to answer a few questions so we can get to know this fascinating artist a little bit better.

Catching Light, 2021

oil on wood

12 X 12 in

Why have you decided to become an artist? Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

I have always loved painting, as far back as I can remember. My mother and sister are also very artistic so I was heavily influenced by them. Yet as I got older, I started making excuses as to why I shouldn’t be an artist. For some reason I thought an art career wasn’t attainable for me so I repressed it for the longest time.

I was working as a dental assistant/receptionist when I met my husband almost 10 years ago. During my lunch breaks I would create elaborate war scenes out of my sandwich foil and send him pictures that would blow him away. Whenever I had a free moment I would write poems because they were easier to hide from my boss than drawings were, and on days when I was alone in the office  I would illustrate them. My husband immediately saw my potential and said “What on earth are you doing here? Quit tomorrow and be an artist already, what are you waiting for?” 

So I quit, and that’s when my journey began.

I absolutely love that. How wonderful it is to have someone so supportive in your life who recognizes your talents.

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I worked as a dental assistant, bartender, freelance graphic designer, art teacher at a few small private schools and at one point had my own drink and paint business. 

What are your ideal working conditions ?

My studio is in my home so I like to roll out of bed and get straight to work. Once I have my concept in mind and my photoshoots are finished, I’ll set up with some music, a podcast, or a documentary and start working. My paintings are never stationary. They often move around the studio whenever I feel inspired to set up in a different spot. Even my largest works have traveled to various rooms because, though I can’t explain it, sometimes they just felt better against a different wall. 

I need my supplies to always be easily accessible in the case that inspiration strikes at an odd hour.  Sometimes when I’m unwinding at night, I’ll take a small painting on my lap while I’m sitting on the couch and paint leisurely while watching TV. 

What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

I studied at SUNY Purchase University but most of my growth has been through practice on my own. During my four years at Purchase I don’t think I was ever really creating for myself, but more so for my professors.  After graduation I was so burnt out that I stopped painting completely for a few years. School seemed to suck the fun out of it for me and I had to find that passion again on my own.  

When I finally started again it was like I opened the floodgates and all these ideas started pouring out. I was painting 10 hours a day non stop. During this time I learned the most.

How has your work changed over time? Has your skill or ideology changed?

My work has changed drastically over time and things really started to accelerate in 2018. Up until that point art school seemed to have engrained rules into my head about what I should or should not be doing. One day I decided to experiment with new materials but I couldn’t figure out if they would work. After doing tons of research with no outcome I came across a successful artist on instagram using those same materials so I sent him a message. I wrote out a whole novel asking all these questions and he simply replied with “ I don’t know, I just did it.” That 2 second exchange was enough to alter my entire practice. I was blown away at the freedom and how easy going it all was, and thought to myself wait… I want that. All those rules I was holding onto disappeared and since then the experimenting hasn’t stopped.

Roses Are Red, 2021, private collection

oil, spray paint, resin, and artificial roses on linen

20 X 24in

Where do you find inspiration?

I usually get inspired while I’m working on a painting. A twist or turn in my process will spark a new idea which I tuck away for the next piece. By the time I’m finished with the current painting, there's already a new one ready to go. I love painting skin, it’s an endless inspiration for me. Also, as frames are often incorporated into the paintings, when I go to antique shops or estate sales sometimes I’ll find incredible frames that will inspire the pieces. 

Baby Teeth, 2021

oil on wood, frame

15 X 29 in

What do you think are your strongest abilities contributing to the success of your work?

Persistence, eagerness to learn, and self perseverance. The hardest thing to do is continue to work when you hear “no”. It’s so easy to get discouraged and fall victim to the inner critique that says “you’re not good enough”. Though I’m not completely immune to this, what I’ve realized is when something makes me THIS happy, no one can take it away from me, so I just keep going. When I look at other incredible artists I don’t get discouraged, I get excited because I see all the possibilities ahead If I just keep going. 

When I was little my dad promised me that one day we’d go on a treasure hunt. I think about that all the time when I work, because it feels like I’m on a treasure hunt. There's still so much to learn and to discover. 

This might be a strange question, but I always find the answers interesting. What’s your clearest memory from your childhood?

I remember being in Russia, so I must have been five years old or younger. I was sitting on the floor with my dad listening to fairy tales on a record player holding a little black guitar and strumming along to the songs that were playing. We must have listened to it hundreds of times before because I can still hear the narrator’s voice so clearly. It's a very brief memory but I remember feelings of wonder, comfort, and happiness. The colors black and red also stick out vividly. 

Weldon Ryan

Meet Weldon Ryan!

Weldon Ryan in his studio with “Selfie in Red”, 2021, oil on canvas in progress

Why have you decided to become an artist? 

Art is who I am. Every fiber of my body wants to create art.  I’m driven to be an artist with every breath I take.  I’m so compelled by visuals I see daily. I look at form light and color and analyze how I can interpret this through paint. 

Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

I knew I was an artist when everyone in grade school asked me to draw them something.  Being one of the best artists in the 7th grade and finally understanding I had ability to translate a visual language I wanted to pursue more knowledge in art to be draw and paint.

What are your ideal conditions for working on your art?

I prefer to work in a controlled setting.  I work on a 4x8x3 foot moving wall built to paint.  I place canvas on two sides to allow storage and areas to work on multiple works.  I work with music to energize me.

“Slayah”, 2020, oil on canvas

What’s your background?

I have an A.A. degree in General Illustration from The Fashion Institute of Technology.  In the 80’s I said to myself knowledge is what I want and not a degree, so I bypassed the BA degree.  I figured I want to be able to eat through my commercial illustrative success and not teach. So I took a class with Jack Faragasso at the Art Students League briefly to improve my painting/ illustration skills.  I also took classes in drawing at FIT with comic book great Gene Colan to sharpen storyboard ability and paste-up art as well as marker comps and computer graphics before CGI took off.  I pounded the pavement with “drops off’s” dropping my portfolio at major paperback books publishers.  But I had a tough time getting jobs with covers.  So I worked for the NYC Parks Department as an Urban Park Ranger. With my drawing skills I worked as a Detective doing forensic work for NYC Police Department while I pursued freelance.  Strange as it seems, I did art every non art related job I landed outside of Illustration. I spent 20 yrs working civil service.  Ten of those years were spent doing forensic drawings on computer and with graphite. Now I’m a fine artist with reduced stress. I curate shows with my wife, Richlin, at Bethune Cookman University Shoot Caribbean Carnivals and paint.

 How do you feel about th eexpression “self taught”? 

I went to The High School of Art and Design and was fortunate to have Max Ginsburg in my senior year as my painting teacher.  It was a good introduction to painting oils.  Class was too short to really take off.  I tried painting in the morning before school started.  It was voluntary.  This morning session was affectionately called ”The old hats club”.  I attended The Fashion Institute of Technology for my A.A. When I hear the phrase self-taught I pause because I believe every artist searches for knowledge for themselves to improve.  This is self teaching.  Bob Handville and Barbara Nessim; both my professors at F.I.T., always said artists constantly seek to improve their skills and knowledge just like doctors.

Are there any artists you’d like to study with from the past or present?

Studying with Frank J. Reilly would be a ideal as an artist from the past. His understanding of color, value and form is the foundation for today’s illustrators.  I’ve studied with man great artists already.

What’s the most important or most memorable advice you’ve been given about your creation techniques?

The best advice I have been given as an artist was “Work is only as good as your reference”.  

What research do you do when beginning a new piece?

I round up my son, wife and daughters to go to events to take pictures for my paintings.  I set up and take photos that I find necessary images to assist me in doing the work.  I find that it is important to be accurate in most paintings.

How has your work changed over time? 

For years I’ve pursued painting realism.  It’s been torturous.  I became a slave to photographs.  I realized that I had to become accepting of where I am with my skills.  Once I became accepting, my skills improve in the realism realm.  I paint what I see with an understanding that I also must rely on my knowledge of anatomy to gain understanding of what I see.

I consider myself a realism painter in a contemporary state of realism.  Old school rules can be broken to achieve elements of the rules of art.

Weldon Ryan at work in his studio.

What themes do you find most interesting?

I love painting everyday life.  I’m a historian who documents through my art. I particularly enjoy painting the West Indian Carnival celebration because it’s the best of both worlds.  I paint costumes and the human form coupled with expressions and faces. 

Who is your favorite artist? 

I have many artist I favor for particular reasons.  I love Boris because of his strength in his figures with regard to anatomy and his use of color contouring and sculpting the human form with fantasy art.  I adore Leo and Diane Dillon and their pageantry and storytelling, John Singer Sergeant with his colors and brush stroke and Norman Rockwell as one of the greatest illustrator to ever lived.  

“PO Smith”, 2018, oil on canvas

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I’ve done many jobs in my lifetime!  I worked as a NYC Park Ranger doing nature centers with Murals.  But most significantly, I was a police officer working in the one of toughest neighborhood in NYC.  I was then appointed to the Forensic Art Unit because of my skill.  I sit back since retired from NYPD and think, my art helped solve hundreds of homicides, robberies and rape cases.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

I’ve had people I’ve painted from my Caribbean Carnival series recognize themselves get in touch with me full of joy and excitement that they are in my paintings.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration from all sources.  A person’s face or the way the wind blows a tree branch may inspire me.  I find it from music or music videos or from a clever statement made from someone.

“Fences”, 2020, oil on canvas

What do you dislike most about the art world? 

I find that the art world compares to professional sports.  There are so many talented artists but only a minute few hit the big time.  

Do the arts have a place in politics?

Art creates dialog and helps affect change in politics.  Many years ago I read a book on subliminal seduction.  Images create change.

Rubenimichi

Meet Rubinimichi: the collaborative effort of Ruben, Michi and Luisjo. They fondly refer to themselves as “the 3 headed monster”.

Ruben, Michi and Luisjo in their home studio in Madrid, Spain.

Rubenimichi’s work is dominated by the hidden, the secret, the dark, the magical, and the rituals that apply to their own creative process.

Their work is carried away by the amazement of certain everyday realities and their investigations of phenomenons of power, energy and magic. That is where they find their space, one in which to speculate through painting while looking for answers, offering an exhaustive documentation of their fascination.

Rubenimichi’s work is delicate and curious, with a persuasive pleasure. It has a dark result close to frivolity and sadism, but it is also poetic, luminous and inspiring; a contradictory mixture reflected in the chiaroscuro of their paintings vs their fairy tale point of view which is told through the meticulous gaze of their natural encyclopedia recreated through 3 heads, 6 eyes and 6 hands. There is a dark aura around their work which is slightly disturbing. Each has a hidden gloomy background that is reflected in the seriousness of their portraits but in the end, whimsy and their fascination in the magic of nature bursts forth to balance light and dark. Their work is a cosmic language full of symbols that they assume as their own, in a context of confusion between the impossible and the simple, between what is and what seems.

Azar, acrylic on canvas

Arbol de la Ciencia, acrylic on canvas

-How has your work changed over time? Has your skill or ideology changed?

We have been painting together for 20 years; it is inevitable that our work has evolved and changed.

When we started we liked pop art much more than we do now. Our paintings were full of light and color, our references and aesthetics were different and in our paintings there were hardly any stories. Over time our work has darkened and now is full of magic, symbols and mystery.

Technically we have learned a lot in terms of volume, shadow, the use of “chiaroscuro” ... all this has to do with the maturity that the years give you, past learning and curiosity to progress and not stop discovering new things.

Mimas, acrylic on canvas

-What themes do you find most interesting?

We really like everything related to nature and we try to turn the human being into the animal that one day humans were. Nature is so present in our work because it is something fundamental in our lives.

We have a house in the countryside surrounded by trees and plants. There we try to spend as much time as possible painting. It is there where many of the ideas of our paintings have emerged.

There we go wild, we take care of the trees, we feed the birds, the cats ...

We have a pantheistic view of the world. Nature is our God, that's why our relationship with it is magical, idealized and even supernatural.

In our work, the esthetic component has always been very evident, but we have tried to remove that negative component by surrounding it all with a halo of special beauty because actually, our paintings are a search for beauty through the dark and disturbing.

We are also very interested in the evolution of species and how through chaos everything evolves into a kind of medieval bestiary.

New work in progress.

-Where do you find inspiration?

Maybe our greatest inspiration in the art world will be Flemish painting from the 15th and 16th centuries. We are interested in compositions, perspectives, colors and the air of mystery and strange beauty that surrounds everything. Other sources of inspiration are the botanical drawings of the 17th and 18th centuries, the magical treatises of the 19th century and lately metaphysics.

Something I have wanted to ask you, specifically…how do the three of you work together? Do you all work on every piece? Do you each have a specialty such as: one of you paints the people, another the flora, another the wood grains, etc?…

That’s the million dollar question, hahaha!

Working together is the easiest way for us. We have been working in this way for 20 years and we think that we don’t  know how to work individually. :) We work together in the whole process: one of us explains an idea and we start to develop and work on it. So our paintings are always a mix of Ruben, Michi and Luisjo. That’s why we always say that Rubenimichi is a monster with 3 heads and 6 arms. Over time each of us has specialized in something or likes to paint one thing more than another, but it’s not something very defined. We all do everything. It is perfect, because if you get tired of painting something you know that there is always someone who will finish it.

Rogier van der Weyden, The Descent from the Cross c. 1435. Oil on oak panel, 220cm × 262 cm. Museo del Prado, Madrid Spain

-Name three artists you’d like to study with, from the past or present and why.

-Caravaggio. Because of the use of the “chiaroscuro” and because he was a radical character in his time. He was an art revolutionary.

- Van der Weyden. We would have liked to witness “The Descent” (which we consider an absolute master piece) being painted. It is one of our favorite paintings. We can spend hours and hours looking at it in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

-Brueghel the Elder. Another of our favorite artists. We would love to be students of his workshop. Learning everything about compositions, color, inspiration ...

-What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

We are self-taught persons, none of the 3 have studied Fine Arts formally.

We have learned painting together. We are restless and curious people and that is our school, when we want to do something, we study, we investigate, we try until we get it.

Materia Primera, acrylic on canvas

C.V. ABREVIATED

-SOLO SHOWS:

2018- “Rubenimichi” IKB 191. Madrid

2016- “Sol Negro” Plastic Murs. Valencia

2016- “De Natura” La Eriza. Madrid

2015- “Sol Negro” Fresh Gallery. Madrid

2015- “Sol Negro” Escalera de Incendios. Barcelona

2014- “Sobrenatural” Espai Tactel. Valencia

2013- “Anima Mundi” Solo Mutt Gallery. Milán (Italia)

2012- “Sobrenatural” Mutt Gallery. Barcelona.

2011- “Mágico” La Fresh Gallery. Madrid.

2011- “Humano-animal.” Mondo Bizzarro Gallery. Roma. Italia

2009- “A.N.I.M.A.L.” La Fresh Gallery. Madrid.

2008- “Revelación” FEM. Centro Cultural Casa de Vacas, Parque del Retiro. Madrid.

2006- Galeria “Mad is Mad”. Madrid.

2005- Galeria Art’s Factory. Paris.

2004- “Retrátame”. Ateneo Cultural El Albéitar. León.

-GROUP SHOWS:

2020- “Contemporary Narratives” Stone Sparrow NYC. Nueva York.

2019- “Birds of a feather” Stone Sparrow NYC. Nueva York.

2019- “False Face” Stone Sparrow NYC. Nueva York.

2017- Hybrid Fair. Madrid.

2016- “Animalista” La Casa Encendida. Madrid.

2016- “Lápiz, papel o tijera” Plastic Murs. Valencia.

2016- “Otra puta Feria mas” Galería 6+1. Madrid.

2016- “Poder Planetario” Watdafac Gallery. Madrid.

2015- Nuit Blanche Mayenne (Le Kiosque Mayenne) Mayenne, Pays De La Loire,

France

2014- "BIG" La Fresh Gallery. Madrid.

2013- Feria Casa//Arte. Madrid. Galería Espai Tactel.

2013- “Are you the fire or just another flame?” Solo Mutt Gallery. Milán (Italia).

2013- “Are you the fire or just another flame?” Mutt Gallery. Barcelona.

2013- “I Festival Cultura a Casa” Mallorca.

2013- “Still Life with” La Térmica. Málaga.

2013- “Vanitas 3” La Térmica. Málaga.

2013- “Somos Animales” Mutuo. Barcelona

2012- “Sexy Show” Mitte Barcelona.

2012- “Mondo Bizzarro International” Studio 21. Salerno (Italia)

2012- “El último verano antes del fin del mundo” Watdafac Gallery. Madrid

2012- Mutt Gallery. Feria SWAB. Barcelona

2011- “The New Lost Generation” Mondo Bizzarro Gallery. Roma. Italia

2011- “La música es la respuesta (a tus problemas)” JUGADA A 3 BANDAS. La Fresh

Gallery. Madrid.

2011- “Cadáveres exquisitos” Feria JUST MAD. Madrid.

2010- “Una Gran Familia” La Fresh Gallery. Madrid.

2010- “Away From Dios. Los 7+1 Pecados Capitales” Galería CMTV. Barcelona.

2009- XX Muestra de Artes Plásticas. Sala Borrón. Oviedo

2009- “Everything But the Kitschen Sync” La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Los Angeles.

California.

2009- “Los Niños Terribles”. Fast Gallery. Madrid

2008- Inauguración de La Fresh Gallery. Madrid.

2008- “Calaveras” Espacio Max Luz. Madrid.

2008- “Work in progress”Centro Cultural San Prudencio. Talavera de la Reina. Toledo

2007- “Las cosas del querer” Centro Cultural El Foro. Pozuelo de Alarcón. Madrid

2007- “Geyperman se va de casa” Galeria Mad is Mad. Madrid.

2007- “Souvenirs” Berkana. Madrid.

2006- “Fever Duck Show” Galeria Mercado del Borne. Barcelona.

2006- “La Naturaleza y la Noche” Galeria Espacio Valverde. Madrid.

2006- “Osos, gamos, poneis y otros animales” FESTIVAL VISIBLE. Galeria “Mad

Francesco Lombardo

Who is your favorite artist?

I never have one favorite artist, for me it's more about favorite qualities that I find in artists of all kinds. In the sculptor Bernini I found everyday fabric turned into a spiritual force, in Rembrandt I found brushstrokes that created transitions seeming somehow both painterly and flawlessly rendered at the same time. In other artists I might find a color palette I want to replicate, or a feeling I want to portray. I try to be "open source" about how I improve and grow as an artist, and that often means fine tuning the whole of my technique or composition with many pieces from many artists.

Francesco Lombardo in his studio.

What themes do you find most interesting?

I am very interested in the theme of humans depicted in a way that tells us a secret about ourselves. I feel like this theme is only successfully realized when this secret is passed on as something only partially understood, like a metaphor leading us to something new.

What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

I graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art with a bachelor's in painting. I've also studied abroad in Florence, Italy, at SACI, and studied with the painter Odd Nerdrum at his studios in Iceland and Norway. This formal education ceased around 2005, but continuing to learn did not. I believe any artist wanting to continue growing must become self taught along the way. At a certain point there just isn't anyone there that knows how to do the new thing I want to do; this is a little intimidating, but also very rewarding to finally make that headway on my own.

Frank working on “The Clearing”.

What are your ideal conditions for working on your art?

For me the key to getting quality work done is routine. Like Flaubert once said, "Be regular and orderly in your life so that you can be revolutionary and original in your work". This means getting to my work early in the day, having prepared meals and snacks beforehand, having slept well, and knowing why I'm excited and grateful to be working on whatever is on my easel. Obviously there are ups and downs to obtaining the ideal working conditions, and I try to never be overly obsessive about feeling "off" if my sleep wasn't perfect, or there's some distracting noise. Ultimately, I find that if I make it a habit to create harmony and balance in my life, then I'm more likely to have the resiliency to push forward when things aren't perfect.

What is your dream project?

I have several dream projects that I'd love to get working on as soon as possible. One of these would be a large format horizontal painting titled Aletheia, which would feature a female figure wrapped in various colors of cloth. Much of the aesthetic would be very much like my Quantum Baroque series, with the figure echoed, and an expansive landscape behind the figure as opposed to just sky. This painting would represent the Greek idea of aletheia, of "unconcealing" truth.

“Sy”, oil on canvas ~ part of the Quantum Baroque series

What do you do when you’re not inspired?

There are times I feel either a lack of inspiration or get the feeling of being burned out. When I feel like I'm not inspired it almost always means that I'm not making time for what I call soul restoring things. This can be hiking and camping, writing, reading something that inspires me, re-expressing my purpose, or getting together with people I love. Usually I've just been working too much and the lack of these soul restoring things starts draining me. I may have plenty of energy, but the inspiration/love isn't quite there, and I need to get it back. Other times when I feel burned out it's usually because I've not been sleeping enough, slacking on my diet, or just working too much. Oddly enough I can feel burned out but still be inspired at the same time, in fact sometimes too much inspiration leads me to feel burned out, and I need to take a break from the studio, sleep, make time to exercise, make time to rest, and just do something else to give my painter brain a break.

Should art be publicly funded?

I can see arguments both for and against this, but I would definitely say yes. We all know that public art sometimes results in monstrosities, but I think the more we fund art, the more we choose to create a world based on poetry rather than one based on efficiency and calculation. I believe efficiency and calculation have a valuable place, but they tend to take precedence in defining our experience of the world when there is no public funding of art. I'd rather see them support an enriching human experience than limit our everyday life to a calculable workflow.

What role do you think the artist has in today’s society?

I see the role of the artist as someone that reveals what it is to be human, what it is to exist and "be". This can take on many forms, traditional and otherwise. I think the artist should strive to create artworks that in turn create worlds all their own. By this I mean artworks that stop us in our tracks and reveal a truth to us. Art is about defining the difference between what is true, and what is correct. Though 2+2 is correct, it is not a truth; a truth is an unquantifiable feeling of being present in a way that could not have happened without standing before that work of art, that poem, that painting. In short, I think the role of the artist is to prove Hegel wrong, and restore art to its place as a world creating force.

If you could have a superpower, what would you have and why?

The one superpower I would have is to be able and see the full spectrum of color. As of right now I'm red/green colorblind, which makes being a painter very interesting. I've enjoyed overcoming and working with the many challenges this presents, but at some point I'd like to see what it's like to really see. Gene therapy has been able to make this a reality thanks to the work of Jay and Maureen Neitz who have developed a procedure to regrow the color cones directly in the eye. I'm looking forward to the FDA approving their work, and hopefully being able to experience this superpower.

“The Annunciation of Mary”, oil on canvas

Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

The defining moment in my life where I knew I was an artist is something that occurred to me in hindsight. It was when, in a moment of complete self doubt, I knew I was not an artist. I knew I was just a hack at best, and that I would not be taken seriously. Along with this devastating feeling was the desire to still see the artwork realized as a painting, and to continue on towards making my vision a reality regardless of my self doubt. Looking back at this moment I realized that my love and belief in the work itself created a new kind of space in me that is protected from the highs and extreme lows of everyday life. I think that the creation of this space, through the love and need of our work, is in part what makes us all artists.

What couldn’t you do without?

I couldn't do without my very beautiful, talented, love. She can deadlift 235 lbs at a weight of 108, which blows my mind, and she's gorgeous and ever so lovely.

Julie Campbell

Why have you decided to become an artist? Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

I really don’t think of myself as an artist just as someone who embroiders/paints/draws. I find it sounds so pretentious to say ‘I am an Artist’, I feel like a fraud! Since I can remember I have always drawn. We didn’t have a TV when I was young so I spent a lot of time doodling  and drawing.

What are your ideal conditions for working on your art?

I work best under pressure, if I have a deadline looming. I was like this with exams, I need that feeling of stress to really produce otherwise I tend to procrastinate. The closer the deadline the more I produce.

Julie in her studio, surrounded by her work.

What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

I went to Art College in Brussels in the ‘80’s to study Graphics. I hated it, it completely took away all inspiration. After finishing I didn’t pick up a pencil or paintbrush for nearly 10 years. 

What’s the most important or most memorable advice you’ve been given about either your creation techniques or in marketing yourself?

I haven’t really had much advice apart from friends and family encouraging me. Europe is very big on art snobbery so when I used to do a lot of children illustration it was looked down on and not considered art. Embroidery is difficult in that until now it was associated with ladies embroidering flowers etc, not that there is anything wrong with that. I just feel that it is finally being recognized as an art form which I find important.

How has your work changed over time? Has your skill or ideology changed?

I started embroidering three years ago at a time when I was very low, looking after my chronically ill teenage daughter. I always loved anatomy but at that time was mainly doing children's illustrations. It was my children that set up my Instagram account and I put my drawings on. One day I noticed an embroidery  and decided to give it a go. I loved it straight away and decided to stick with an anatomy theme as it is something I was always interested in.

What type of art do you most identify with (realism, expressionism, surrealism, etc - it doesn’t have to be confined to the style you work in)?

I know it sounds silly but I like when something looks like it’s meant to and that you can really see the skill that has gone into making the piece. I love most of the paintings that are shown at Stone Sparrow as they are just so amazingly beautiful and the sheer talent to make that sort of work is mind blowing. 

What’s your clearest memory from your childhood?

We didn’t have a TV and in the evenings when I was little we’d sit down after dinner and I’d draw and my dad often read  to us from the newspaper, they would burn oil lamps and there was such a warm, cosy, safe feeling. That feeling is my strongest memory from my childhood.

What themes do you find most interesting?

Anything anatomy, I’m fascinated by chronic mental and physical illness and how the world perceives people suffering from either.  People can look very healthy on the outside while the inside tells a different tale.  A lot of my work is based around that theme.

Who is your favorite artist?

One of my favourite artists is Alan Froud the book illustrator, I’ve had his books from when I was a teenager and have looked at them so much over the years. I’ve always loved strange and ugly things (baby hairless birds, gremlins etc) his work really appeals to me on that level. I was also very influenced by the amazing tapestries made by Kaffee Fassett.

 What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I was the concierge at a Museum and lived on the premises, secretary, market stall holder, sandwich delivery business but since my son was born 26 years ago I was a stay at home mum.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

I remember I used to do these really big detailed paintings of flowers (zoom ins), I was exhibiting and two people came along and didn’t notice me, one turned to the other and very disdainfully said ‘that’s not Art, that’s decoration’, it obviously wasn’t meant as a compliment! It’s funny how we always remember the bad, I have had so many lovely things said about my embroidery and people have been so kind and yet that one comment has always stuck with me.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration is a funny thing,  it’s just suddenly there, I can be doing dishes, washing, reading and suddenly an idea pops into my head out of nowhere. It can even be a title that I like the sound of and then work from there. All my pieces are very personal to me and often on the theme of  heartache.

What do you think are your strongest abilities contributing to the success of your work?

I like to stay real, I’m too old to care about all the nonsense around art. It’s good or it’s not, it speaks to you or it doesn’t, the rest is rubbish. I like to be honest in my work and show people my vulnerability.

What do you dislike most about the art world? 

The snob-ism here in Europe is something I really dislike. People really looking down on people that do amazing work. That’s one thing I like about Instagram, it has given a platform to a new type of amazing contemporary art. Galleries like yours and magazines like Beautiful Bizarre have really changed art. That really needs to happen here in Europe.

What role do you think the artist has in today’s society? 

Now more than ever we need art. With a strong shift to the right in politics throughout a large part of the world I am scared that the arts will become less important. Where would we be without art?

Should art be publicly funded?

I find that the art that is publicly funded are often things that I look at and think “really”, what is that supposed to be or represent, your average three year old could do that! I do believe however that it is very important to have funding for all types of art and culture and it worries me as that is exactly the sort of funding that gets cut.

What research do you do when beginning a new piece?

I have quite a few books on anatomy that I find helpful to get the piece anatomically correct, although I embellish my anatomy pieces with a detail I still find it important that it is recognizable. My mother was a draftswoman in the ‘50’s drawing the plans for ships and submarines, she often says my work is very technical looking.

If you could have a superpower, what would you have and why.

 I’d love to be able to end world poverty. I find  inequality on all levels  hard to deal with so if I could do something about that. Oh yes and of course bionic knees, I have terrible knees and love walking.

Name something you love / don’t love, and why.

I love black coffee, black chocolate, laughing, reading in bed on a Sunday morning, the little things in life which I think since Covid have become even more important.

I really can’t stand judgement, this is something my daughter has had to deal with on top of being ill and it makes me see red.

What is your dream project?

My dream just 3 years ago was to be in a gallery in Manhattan and I’ve achieved that so I’m very lucky. I’ve always wanted to have my work used on a book cover, I suppose as a family of avid readers that would be pretty great.

Name three artists you’d like to study with, from the past or present and why.

Andreas Vesalius was a 16th-century Flemish anatomist, physician, and author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, obviously due to my interest in anatomy I find his illustrations inspiring. For textile it would be Kaffee Fassett, his amazing tapestries and knitwear are an inspiration, just the amount of work that he achieves is impressive. There was a Flemish artist, Panamarenko, who made really crazy machines. I took my son to his exhibition and it was great, completely wacky, I think that would be fun just to try something out of my comfort zone.

What couldn’t you do without?

Coffee. My family. Books. 

What do you do when you’re not inspired?

Procrastinate, I hate not being inspired as I always embroider in front of the television while everyone is watching and as I’m not really a TV person, I find it difficult to stay sitting and feel restless. I only ever embroider in the evening and only draw during the day, I’m a creature of habit so now that I’ve got into that pattern of doing things I can’t change.

Repair, embroidery on linen. Julie sends handwritten letters with her work to give her collectors a deeper connection to her thought process.

Shelah Horvitz

1. Why have you decided to become an artist? Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist? 

You don’t really decide to be an artist. You decide on your medium, your technique, your subject matter, etc., but if making art is how you come to understand the world and process your experiences, you’re an artist, whether you’re good or not. You’re born that way. I knew from childhood that making art was the only activity I thought mattered. In high school it was a toss-up whether I would become a writer or a painter because I won prizes for both. I went to Brown to train as a writer but also took their art curriculum. At Brown, they did not teach me how to write or paint but what was acceptable Modernist subject matter and approach, both as a writer and as a painter, and I rebelled against that because I didn’t share their values. Their criticisms dried me up as a writer for 30 years, but I still got visions, so I could still paint. That is why I became a painter. 

2. What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught? 

I have a formal art education and I am self-taught. 

3. What’s the most important or most memorable advice you’ve been given about either your creation techniques or in marketing yourself? 

There are many art worlds. Find your people. It does not matter how good you get if what you want your work to achieve does not match what the art world values. You have to find the art world that values what you want your work to achieve. Before Instagram, finding your art world was a very difficult thing. On Instagram, once I found artists I liked, I started following people who they followed if I liked their work, and that led me to whole worlds I didn’t know existed. 

4. What’s your clearest memory from your childhood?  

A shaft of light on a white oak floor, a parallelogram of gold against the grey-blue shadow, and I think to myself, “Today I’m three.” 

5. What themes do you find most interesting?

In my family, who I was supposed to be, what I was supposed to do for a living, who I was supposed to marry, where I was supposed to live, all my beliefs and values, everything that was to make up my identity had already been dictated to me, and it was not a fit. Even after I left the family, I found that given my gender, class and race, society imposed all these expectations of me, of my values and my behavior, that didn’t fit. I wasn’t that person and I didn’t want to twist myself to become someone else’s idea of who I should be. To figure out my identity, I have had to invent the wheel, so to speak. I realize that every piece I’ve ever painted, whether they’re paintings of people or animals or landscapes, they have all been tools to find out who I am and what can I be. One of the most important pieces I’ve ever done is a triptych painted at 23: the archetypes Virgin, Madonna, and Whore, that were imposed on me from without, and I had to pick who would I be. Then over the years, making my living in technology, I needed balance from nature, so I painted animals — what does the coyote have to teach me? The sparrow? I journeyed in, became the coyote, became the sparrow, saw the world through their eyes, came out changed. When I got older, what do the trees have to teach me, the mountains? Older still, does the archetype of crone fit? I tried it on, pretty limiting! But I journeyed in and came out the other side. Now I ask one of the same questions I’ve been asking all my life: who do I want to be as a woman? Clint Eastwood spent his entire life making film after film exploring what it means to be a man and what kind of man he wanted to be. But who is doing that for women? There are so few images of who and what a woman can be if she is to be self-actualized, balanced in anima and animus, not an object onto which men’s fears and desires are projected but an adult with her own agenda. When I was a teenager I needed a female role model and there were none. I have since seen women in popular culture who I would call “lesser men,” and that’s not an answer to me either. What would a female role model look like? What is a female hero? A blend of hard and soft. What do I value now and what do I wish I had as a role model when I was young? Bowie’s question: “Who can I be now?” 

6. Who is your favorite artist? 

 Ah! That changes almost daily. Of painters, Daniel Sprick, Mitch Griffiths, François Bard, Dozier Bell, Aleah Chapin, Isaak Levitan, Will St. John, Colleen Barry, Dino Valls. But over my life this has been a cast of hundreds. That said, some of the most important artists to me have been David Bowie and Bob Dylan. Both refused to let others define them. Both tried on numerous identities for size and proved you can get away with anything as long as you do it with style. Both tried to use their work to make their audiences think, to question their values, to change the world. And both relentlessly experimented, for decades, endured long periods when the experiments failed and their work was disparaged, yet they hung in there and continued to produce interesting, beautiful and relevant work throughout their lives. They’re brave and tenacious. I keep coming back to these guys, over and over. They are my real role models. 

7. What jobs have you done other than being an artist? 

A better question might be what jobs have I not done? I have done innumerable different kinds of jobs in order to survive. What lasted longest was my 25 years as software engineer. I chose this field because software is something the larger culture values, and when I went into it there was enough of a shortage of engineers that they would actually hire women and pay them a living wage. 

8. What memorable responses have you had to your work? 

The most memorable responses I received were to the Thoughtcrime series of paintings and essays I did in the late 1990s and posted on the Internet. In this series, I created a number of memes before Internet memes existed, and they were designed to challenge societal constraints about women’s roles. For this I got a number of death threats, but I also received enthusiastic letters from young women who were incredibly grateful that they had found someone who felt the same way. Essentially I had given them the courage to walk their own paths. It doesn’t get any better than that. 

9. Where do you find inspiration? 

Usually in the bathroom, when I’m taking a shower. That’s where I get most of my visions. Glibness aside, I get a lot of my ideas — the conceptual underpinnings — from film and popular music. As to technical inspiration, I might look at another painter and admire how they handled composition or shapes or how they rendered, but I see these technical qualities as tools and not an end, and they never inspire a work. If I admire how they’ve handled both concept and execution, as I do for instance with Aleah Chapin or Daniel Sprick, they’ve grabbed that territory so by definition I can’t emulate their work, but I can emulate their approach. This is why I like to get my inspiration from different media other than painting, because then I have to translate the idea to painting. My ideas are always conceptual, and often they come out of reading. Gender studies, media studies, the news, anything that gets me thinking. A vision may crystallize the concept, and then I’ll look for image sources to back up my vision. I like best to take photos and work from them but often I can’t so I’ll grab images from films or internet searches and use so many that I’m not really copying any of them. 

10. What do you think are your strongest abilities contributing to the success of your work? 

I have strong conceptual underpinnings and long and varied life experiences. My work has real depth and asks questions that matter. Every piece is designed to touch both the lightness and the shadow of your own psyche. Every piece is designed so you will read it differently in different moods, at different times of your life. I paint for people who enjoy work that makes them both feel and think. 

11. What role do you think the artist has in today’s society? 

From Cesar A. Cruz: “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” This job of the artist is a sacred mission. 

12. What couldn’t you do without? 

Silence. A place where I can be myself. An intelligent friend with whom I can ask questions that matter. Truth. Integrity. Honor. The love and support of my two best friends, one of whom is my husband. Somewhere to get my artwork seen, so it can affect the world.

Shana Levenson

Get to know a little bit more about the prolific painter Shana Levenson.

Why have you decided to become an artist? Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were an artist?

I’m an artist because there’s nothing else in the world I could imagine doing every day of my life.  I wake up and the first thing I do is go in to my studio and paint.  It’s hard to say when the defining moment in my life was that I knew I was an artist.  As most artists, I have always been drawing.  Growing up, my older brother was always the artist and I was the athlete.  And now, being married to a successful artist, I find myself constantly trying to fight being in his shadow in some way.  Maybe it was the first major sale I had of a painting that was a painting I completed for my thesis while getting my MFA.  I realized that people could connect with what I had to say within my work.

What are your ideal conditions for working on your art?

There’s no ideal when you’re a mom of two kids. I have to be able to be accessible so I’ve become accustomed to being able to multitask very well.  Some days I get several hours in a row uninterrupted, but other days I might get a little here and there.  Either way, I average 8 to 9 hours a day in the studio no matter what.

What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught?

My undergrad degree is in Fashion from The University of Texas in Austin and I received my MFA from the Academy of Art in San Francisco through correspondence with two little kids.

What’s the most important or most memorable advice you’ve been given about either your creation techniques or in marketing yourself?

I remember taking a painting class in college and my brother told me “there are no lines that exist… it’s all value against value”. That seems to have stuck with me early on.  In terms of marketing, stay consistent with your brand.  Your social media account is your classroom (if you teach workshops) as well as your gallery.  Keep in clean and consistent. 

What’s your clearest memory from your childhood?

My clearest memory from childhood was sitting in my room with a friend of mine in middle school drawing in our sketchbooks.  I used to draw cartoon characters and make up comics or make my friends into characters. 

Who is your favorite artist?

My favorite artist living is my husband, David Kassan.  My favorite artist not living is Sorolla

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I was a make up artist for MAC makeup while I was in school at UT getting my undergrad.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration from my daily life and from what’s going around me in the world.

What do you think are your strongest abilities contributing to the success of your work?

My strongest abilities that contribute to my success is my work ethic.  I am a very routine person and spend a lot of time focused in the studio.  I also work well with multitasking as well as reaching out to collectors as often as possible. 

What do you dislike most about the art world? 

I dislike how shallow the art world can be.  The “popular” art might be something that is meaningless but might be liked because of social media or some other person says it’s good.

Do the arts have a place in politics?

Art absolutely has a place in politics.  Art can make people see or feel things more clearly.  It’s the one-way artists feel like they can have their voices heard.

Name something you love / don’t love, and why.

I love my children because they are the reason for everything I do.  I work hard to show them that if you love doing something, you can do it for a living with hard work and patience

What is your dream project?

My dream project would be to create work that is seen in high end fashion magazines by either collaborating with high end brands or painting people that are fashion forward. 

Name three artists you’d like to study with, from the past or present and why.

I’d love to study with Vincent Desiderio, Sorolla, and Katie O’Hagan

What couldn’t you do without?

Wine

What do you do when you’re not inspired?

I’m never not inspired.  I have a list too long of work I want to create.