Artist of the Week: Veron Ennis

Better late than never, right? For this week's featured artist, I decided to go with someone who really knows how to use color and an open mind in her work. Floridian artist Veron Ennis expresses herself through abstract creations with vibrant tones.

With an ever-changing color palette comes endless possibilities. Ennis proves this to be true with her usage of different shapes and designed accompanied by popping color schemes. The artist primarily works with flat paintings and cubes. The wooden cubes that she paints unfold to reveal eye-catching composition.

 

I have been posting these weekly artist profiles for a while now, which means that I have been able to write about and discover new artists along the way. I only recently came across Ennis, but I am finding it easier and easier to say that she has quickly become one of my own personal favorites.

 

The simplistic designs and beautiful gestures never fail to captivate my attention. There is something so intricate in each and every one of Ennis's abstract pieces that leaves me feeling so serene each and every time.  

Artist of the Week: Zio Ziegler

Last week, my sister was taking a look at my blog and suggested an artist for this week. She introduced me to West Coast artist Zio Ziegler, and I'm super excited that she did.

Ziegler's abstract lines and shapes come together to make phenomenal creations. By using both black and white paint as well as color, he is able to showcase his talents in an imaginative way. Ziegler typically does graffiti murals on buildings, which are splattered over the San Francisco area.

 In fact, Ziegler's work is so impressive that he has designed his own line of Vans shoes that are
colorfully and intricately created. He also decorates vehicles with paint at times.

 

(To be honest, I think the only reason my sister mentioned Ziegler's name is because she likes to think she is the biggest fan of Vans.)

Regardless, I'm thrilled that I get to start following Ziegler and his work now that I know about him, and that I get to share him with those of you who might not have known about him before reading this! 

 Here's a look at my favorite Ziegler creation to wrap things up. Stay tuned for next week's author!

Artist of the Week: Alexey Adonin

As I sat in a coffee shop earlier this week thinking of a new artist that I could highlight this week, I came across artist Alexey Adonin. I was immediately awestruck at the way that Adonin uses his pieces to allow the viewer to see what they want to see. His images take on a life of their own from what he is able to envision, and the results are nothing short of extraordinary.

From Jersusalem, Israel, Adonin uses his incredible painting talents to captivate the eyes of anyone who views his work. His art is truly mesmerizing through every oil paint stroke on canvas he makes. The varying hues and undertones present in his pieces makes it easy to stare at for a rather long time. With nothing too vibrant or too soft, his palette conveys the perfect color scheme in his pieces. Each color works together to make something so intricately beautiful and unique.

From what I've seen in his work, Adonin creates an escape from reality in his abstract techniques. I can't help but create stories in my mind and imagine different things from what Adonin is able to bring to life.

To learn more about Adonin and to see more of his striking work, visit http://www.saatchiart.com/adonin.

Artist of the Week: Audrey Kawasaki

Over the past few days, I've decided to dedicate one post each Friday to spotlight some of my favorite artists. Current or not, I'll be sharing some information and artwork on ones that I personally admire.

The first artist that I wanted to highlight is Audrey Kawasaki. Ever since my freshman year of high school, I have always admired her intricate work and how she creates her pieces. Honestly, she's probably become one of my biggest inspirations to pursue my interest in the visual arts. Her paintings intrigue me with the flowing movement, and have really pushed me into becoming a real artist myself.

A Los Angeles native, Kawasaki works slabs of wood and uses oil paints to bring her pieces to life. She is most known for her portrayals of young Geisha surrounded by beautiful wisps of floral designs. 

                    

I have always been drawn to Kawasaki's piece "Dishonest Heart" (pictured below) as one of my favorites. The portrayal of a young girl whose heart is in full visibility has a sense of mystery surrounding it. This is one of Kawasaki's more known works, and many people decide to get it tattooed onto themselves out of appreciation and admiration of the painting.

While I am certainly interested in all kinds of art, I have a soft spot for Kawasaki's. If you are a fan of her work as well, you can find some of her paintings or doodles and at www.audrey-kawasaki.com. There is true movement within each stroke of her paintbrush that she touches to every piece of wood.

Arts & Crafts Time

Recently, I've been mulling over the thought of what I would include in my first substantial blog post (which would be this one.) My mind has been wandering in circles trying to pin point just what I want to write about, and I have been thinking about what has stood out to me that has made me truly happy.

Honestly, for today, I would have to say that both my drawing and watercolor classes have been true sources of my joy. With visual arts as my second major, I've really been able to immerse myself in one of my core passions through both my drawing and watercolor classes.

I have always found both painting and drawing to be captivating activities. The way that the paint flows so eloquently and the pencil marks up the paper brings such content to me. By being able to create, I have control over what I want to make and how I want it to look.

While I do sketch on my own every now and then, I have found genuine bliss in fine tuning some important skills in a classroom setting. Having assignments set by both my instructor and myself have given me a source of discipline in my craftsmanship with deadlines and certain techniques to practice that I might not want to do otherwise.

Regardless of if I want to or not, using certain drawing utensils or methods that I might find tedious are what will make me a better artist in over time. Habit and repetition will also keep me sharp in my ability, and without it, I would never really learn.

Because drawing and painting are two of my favorite outlets for relaxation in my life, these classes are rather important to me. Even though they may not bring the same thrills to others as they do to me, I am able to say that I'm happy when I am involved with them, and that's enough for me.