Artist Inspiration: Painterly Portraits {Lux and Johan}
December 08, 2011
Recognize "Marianne"
taped to my wall in the last post?
The image was created by
one of my favorite artists:
l o r e t t a l u x.
This particular photo was love at first sight as
it tickles my imagination on so many levels,
and the color palette leaves me breathless.
Drawing influence from paintings by old masters,
her surrealistic work awes me.
Digitally manipulating her photographs of
landscapes and children, Lux creates
an exploration of childhood.
Each portrait is painstakingly layered,
and the artist spends two months tweaking a single image.
I own her gorgeous which includes
45 such painterly portraits.
There's an eeriness, yes?
But when is haunting lovely?
When it is as thoughtfully layered
as a Loretta Lux original.
Simen Johan's work also draws me in
with its mystery, awe, and fantasy.
Many of his images shock, disturb, and engage the senses.
These digitally enhanced photos are from his
Until the Kingdom Comes
exhibit which I hope to view
later this month in NYC.
Digital manipulation--it's not real!
Tranquil and brutal all at once?
It's what the artist does so well.
Honestly, this one just makes me laugh.
Ever embrace someone, and in turns out
to be the most awkward hug EVER?
Ohmygoodness, ungraceful embraces
crack me up.
Johan's sculpture incorporates barnacle,
cement, and other stuff my hormone-tastic
brain is forgetting, and I think it's fabulous,
so I do hope to see it in the flesh.
Room to Play (Twin Palms)
Enigmatically disturbing, serene, otherworldly,
repulsive, startling (YES, startling...at least for suburban moms with anxiety and cravings for the edgy and the surreal who don't get out much) images of children in Room to Play.
Do painterly portraits move you too?
Peace to you right where you are.
4 comments
Wow, just wow! Love these painterly works - the white reindeer in the woods one is especially grabbing me.
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing with you about the awkward hugs!
Meera xx
yes! these are beautiful!
ReplyDeletex
Oh my gosh... those are amazing... absolutely everything you said, beautiful, haunting, surreal, I'm in awe... I did notice the little redhead in your last post and was wondering about it. All of these are so compelling... the little girl in gingham... wow... she just jumps out at you, and the birds are so flawless they don't even look real.. the rhino so defeated ... and the girl prone on the grass is beautiful and slightly off in an intriguing way.. Thank you so much for sharing them all... i love my brain to be messed with this way..
ReplyDeleteCindy
Mum's a painter, great grandfather was a royal photographer, uncle was press photographer and granny an artist. Michelle, to be moved by painterly portraits is perhaps in my blood :)
ReplyDeleteLoved the post. Forwarding it to mum.
Your comments add to the beauty...thanks in advance for your kindness.