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Museum Quality Prints of Joan Reese’s Art Are Available!

Joan Reese is a popular New York City artist. Ms. Reese’s style is organic in nature while using shapes and tones to capture the essence of movement. They are very fluid. The colors look as if they bounce off one another and create a continual vibration through the image. She has been creating art for many years, she has a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. She has taught art and studied Chinese painting with a master painter in New York’s Chinatown. Fine Arts America produces Museum quality reproductions of her paintings and photographs on Canvas prints, framed prints, throw pillows, duvet covers, tote bags, shower curtains and household items.
https://joan-reese.pixels.com

Follow Joan Reese’s blog, “New York City Artist.” Each week you will receive a positive inspirational quote with a beautiful image to brighten up your week! Miss Reese’s blog is great for anyone that wants to know everything about New York’s entertainment scene, fine dining and the arts. A real plus: Ms. Reese shares her cost saving tips when visiting New York City.
http://joanreesearts.blogspot.com

The Art of PIN-UP with Doli Photography

We love to connect with artists from around the world; in fact, it is our priveledge to share art with you.

Another new discovery at AWE this week is “Doli Photography” based in Dallas, Texas, USA. Doli has an array of works on her site at http://www.doliphotography.com but highlighted below are her Pin-Up pieces. Her use of color and dynamic in her shoots is quite interesting and not only teasingly rebellious, but also indicative of freedom in the arts in today’s world.

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Doli Photography has a selection of prints available for sale, be sure to visit her site!

In “The Art of Pin-up,” Dian Hanson describes a pin-up simply as a “provocative but never explicit image of an attractive woman created specifically for public display in a male environment.”

But this imaginary female isn’t just attractive. “Her sexiness is natural and uncontrived, and her exposure is always accidental: A fishhook catches her bikini top, an outboard motor shreds her skirt, a spunky puppy trips her up or the ever-present playful breeze lifts her hem, revealing stocking tops and garter straps, but never the whole enchilada.”

Since they skyrocketed to popularity in the World War II era, pin-up images have occupied a variety of roles — military inspiration, commercial photography, kitsch nostalgia and cult aesthetic.
Read More at HuffPost

The Dreamer An Interview with Hajni Yosifov

By Alyssa Laube

About: For Transylvanian painter and poet, Hajni Yosifov, art is all about self-discovery. Her paintings (“painted diaries/journals”, or “dreamscapes”, as she calls them) use bold colours and heavy texture to evoke emotions of love, wonder, and struggle. Despite starting out her artistic career as a jewellery designer, Hajni has found her true passion in painting, and will be exhibiting at this year’s Expo.

When you mention the “idea of existing” as a key concept in your work, what do you mean?

My artistic journey is more than seeking; it’s a chance to go on, deeply and permanently, into the idea of existing. Art is how I record life.

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The way that you’ve described your work on your page is quite poetic. Do you write poetry?

The dance between words and pictures is unlike anything else. Nothing compares with the discovery of your own verse, and some of my paintings gives my mind the power of words. “The Dreamer” is my self portrait in words.

Which artists inspire you?

There are many inspiring artists, but none touches my heart and soul like Emily Carr.

How did growing up in Transylvania (and then moving to Canada) influence you?

When I came in Canada in 1990, the course of my life changed. My first show happened to be at Hamilton Art Gallery, where I met the gallery Director, Ted Pietrzak. His encouragement and guidance led me to the most rewarding journey as an artist. That was the beginning.

How did you get started in jewellery design?

At the end of the high school I decided to become a jeweller. It was a fascinating process between melting gold and polishing the final piece. The finished piece always became someone’s treasure.

How did you discover that painting was your true passion?

Painting must be my true passion, because I paint after working at my job, even if I don’t have a showing or commissioned piece. I’m painting when I’m hopeful or hopeless.

Would you describe your work as abstract and why/why not?

I don’t consider my art abstract because abstract art seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colours and textures without representing an external reality. I call mine “dreamscapes”, because when I paint, my intention is to touch an emotional chord with such intensity that I can’t distinguish if it’s pain or happiness.

How do you like to use colour and texture in your art?

My inspiration comes from a thought, building textures and bright colours, and then balancing with soft pastel.

You’ve participated in over 190 exhibitions. Is there one, or a few, that stand out in your memory and why?

After over 240 exhibitions, each of them is important. I had so many amazing moments and met so many people that inspired me.

How do you think that your work reflects the “awakening of life”?

I’m collecting bits of nature, human forms, and sparkles of light and putting them back into my artwork romantically. The awakening of life is an endless wonder.

How have you found your “new self” through your art?

I’m an artist; this is what I do. My art is the bridge between me and the world.

Why is creating art important to you?

My art gives me the courage to be vulnerable, and to be myself.

What will you be showing at the Expo?

At the Art World Expo, I’m showing my recent work. As a collection, each painting orchestrates the mood and story behind it. The theme, ”Shades of Love”, echoes through each of them.
You can see or purchase Hajni’s work at this year’s Expo, or:
http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/h/hajni/.

You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor Twin Peaks Construction!

www.twinpeaksconstruction.com

Art World Expo & 360 Replays

ART WORLD EXPO TM is pleased to present this amazing video of a one of a kind body art installation featuring the creative process in a unique way captured by 360 Replays.

360 Replays develops interactive technology for Internet TV. Their mission is to make interactive TV the regular TV on the planet. In addition, 360 produces camera systems that can be used to capture interactive content delivered over Internet television.

For more information about 360, visit:
https://www.360replays.com
https://www.facebook.com/360Replays

Art World Expo is an annual large scale art show and fundraiser featuring over 100 artist exhibitors, fashion shows, a body painting competition and live demonstrations. The fourth annual event will take place on May 2, 2014. The event is produced by MAB Ventures Inc., An Arts & Entertainment Agency with proceeds benefiting Make and Break Arts Foundation. The event takes place at Telus World of Science in Vancouver,BC, Canada and features artists from around the world.

For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, please visit:
https://artworldexpo.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ArtWorldExpo?ref=br_tf

Order tickets by phone 604 999 6177

Body Painting Artist: Cory Keys

Hair & Face Make Up: Monika Blichar
http://www.monikablichar.com

Model: Emily Blackwell, Red Goddess Talent
http://www.redgoddesstalent.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-Blackwells-Fan-Page/187599184648341

Thank you to the Art World Expo TM 2014 Platinum Sponsors:

Twin Peaks Construction
http://www.twinpeaksconstruction.com

Fresh Vancouver Magazine
http://www.freshvancouver.com

Emerging Painter Margaret Kitchen Joins The Show!

About: Margaret Kitchen, new to Vancouver and the art scene, creates beautiful paintings of landscapes and other scenes. She works in a school teaching special needs children, and practices as an artist in her spare time.

This is your first time at the Art World Expo. Is there anything particular you’re looking forward to?

I’m very nervous and excited just to experience it and be there to see other artists.

How were you introduced to art?

Growing up, my Mom was always creative. Not in painting, but in things like beautiful knitting and needlepoint. We would come home from dances and she would have entire outfits she’d made ready for us! Also, about 5 years ago I was looking at paintings a lot and thinking, “I want to do that.” I wanted to explore something different. Reading Drawing from the Right Side of Your Brain explained that everybody can draw and not to be afraid to make mistakes and to fail. It just sort of said, “Where are the rules? Anyone can do it.” Art is an outlet. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

How were you influenced as an artist by your heritage or home town?

Okanagan landscape is so inspiring. You go hiking or to lakes and just think, “I wish I could paint this.” It’s just so beautiful. There were great local artists and galleries, so it was really just a part of the community.

Who was your main inspiration growing up and how has it changed from then?

My Mother, because it was always important for her to be creative with her hands and to completely immerse herself.

How would you describe your style?

I love using oil paint. I love art to look like art. I really like artists like Robert Bateman. Lots of paint, thick, color, so I guess I would call my style impressionistic.

What do you consider your “big break”?

I am really glad that I met Monika. I started her art class and she and I really hit it off. Pretty much, she said “who cares! Do it and have fun,” and here I am.

How have you developed as an artist, both professionally and personally?

Personally, it’s opened up a whole new world of creativity to me. The whole journey of it has been fantastic; meeting all of these great people and producing artwork that I like. I love that now I can paint a picture and give it to someone.

What was an artwork that had a lasting effect on you? How so?

I’m so amazed all the time at the level of creativity and artistry just here in North Vancouver, just the local art that I see around. I also went to the Vancouver Art Gallery and saw Metis which blew my mind, and last winter I saw some Emily Carr which I love.

What is your favorite art gallery or event in Vancouver?

I love the art crawls. They have one in North Vancouver and one in East Vancouver.

What type of environment do you prefer to work in (i.e.: a studio, home, etc.)?

I like to be by myself sometimes but I also like to be in a studio where there are people I can bounce things off of and ask, “What do you think? What do you see?” I like to get advice, too.

Where do you get inspiration for your art?

My daughter, the landscape, other art.

What was the first piece of art you sold?

Well, I don’t sell my art! My mother in-law asked me to paint a picture of the Capilano River. It was the first painting that I thought “I like this,” and I kept it, but painted her a couple more and gave them to her. I think that if I didn’t get so attached to my paintings, I could sell them. They’re like my babies!

Is there a main theme or message to your art? If so, what is it?

It is more of pure expressionism for me.

What is your favorite (and least favorite) thing about being an artist?

My favorite thing is that it’s a way of being creative and expressing yourself – that feeling of the great escape. It’s like meditation. I haven’t found anything negative about it yet!

Did you always want to be an artist? If not, what did you want to be and when/why did you change your mind?

I never saw myself as an artist. I wish that I had tapped into this side of myself when I was younger would have loved to be a dancer, but during the time that I was growing up, it was never something I could imagine doing. Over the last 25 or 30 years I’d squelched that side of myself. Before my work as a Teacher, I was a Dental Assistant and would wear a different sweater every day. I’ve always liked to be creative and express myself but never thought it was something I could do. I think that if I had grown up in a different time or family I would have explored it a lot earlier.

Do you currently have a favorite artist?

Yes! He has a studio in West Vancouver. Yates. He does all sorts of West Coast landscapes with nice palette and color.

Describe the Vancouver art scene in three words

I don’t really know it that well, but I would say there are a lot of different kinds of art so versatile, exciting, and welcoming. All of the people that I’ve met have been very positive.

Carve or Starve!-An Interview with Jesse Toso

About: Jesse Toso, born and raised here in British Columbia, is a talented woodcarver whose tool of choice is equally impressive: a chainsaw! To see some of Jesse’s extraordinary work, go to:

http://www.stumpartist.com

The first time you carved was at a competition in 2005, at which you took first prize in the Amateur category! What motivated you to take part in the competition, and did you have a feeling that you would be a natural?

I grew up in Campbell River where the Transformations on the Shore Chainsaw Carving Competition has been taking place since 1997 and I remember looking at the amazing carvings produced at the event each year and I thought to myself: “I could do that”. So, I borrowed a chainsaw and hacked away at this giant piece of Douglas fir and by the end of the week, I had shaped out a Phoenix. After taking home the $1000 prize, I decided to do it every year after. This year will be my tenth!

Why do you prefer to work with a chainsaw, rather than other tools?

Chainsaws are fast.

In your opinion, how does the type of wood influence the final carving?

The type of wood I use influences the final carving immensely. The colour, the size/shape, the grain are all contributing factors. Sometimes I look at a piece of wood and determine what to carve based on it’s shape and type, and other times I will want to carve something and look for a piece of wood that will work, but ultimately it is the wood’s inherent qualities and characteristics which influences the final carving.

What did you do for a living before wood carving entered your life? Do you think you will continue to wood carve for the rest of your career?

I am a carpenter by trade as is my dad so working with wood comes to me naturally. I will continue to keep carving wood, but I am also interested in exploring the artistic relationship(s) between other building materials, namely: glass, metal and concrete. And I’ve always wanted to try carving ice.

What is the best part of working in wood carving?

Wood is a beautiful, natural, and quite versatile. And it’s sustainable.

How have you improved over the years?

I improve every time I carve. Going to annual carving events such as the competition in Campbell River and Carva-Palooza (an annual chainsaw carver’s convention in Ontario) has also been a huge boost. I hope to continue improving with every carve.

What do you consider your most difficult piece? How about your favorite one?

I would say the 16-foot spider hanging on the side of a building in downtown Campbell River was my most challenging and my favourite, too. It involved creative engineering, 3D visualization, chainsaw joinery, and it was done in five days (as a part of the carving competition). Also, it caused a bit of controversy. People wrote into the local newspaper asking it be taken down as they have arachnophobia and could no longer go to the theatre because of the giant wood spider overhead! Other people then responded in defence of the spider, and it so had people talking in Campbell River. Which is what art should do, right? I have since carved several spiders and I will be bringing a “smaller” 8-foot version to Art World Expo.

You’ve worked on a variety of different sculptures, mainly focusing on animals. Do you prefer to use nature for your inspiration and how come?

I am drawn to curvy, smooth, rounded, flowing shapes such as octopus legs, dragons, or the neck of a heron, and so find myself carving such shapes. It happens that most things with these characteristics are from nature.

How has working first-hand with nature changed your relationship with it?

Trees are precious. I am honored and humbled when I carve into wood that had once been a tree that had been standing for hundreds of years. I feel I need to use every bit of the wood I am carving. Many of my carvings are from off-cuts from other carvings.

Do you think that wood carving differs from other forms of art? How so?

All art is expression. Carving wood with chainsaws is just another way for me to say: “Look what I can do!”

Do you have any advice for beginners in the field?

Carve or starve!

Have you ever done a collaborative piece? If not, would you like to?

I have done several collaborative pieces. As a part of Carva-Palooza, one of the several carvings we do is made with a partner. Actually, this year I will be leading a group project (at Carva-Palooza) where eight of us will carve a complete chess set out of logs. I am really excited to see how this turns out.

Adelle Airey shows for the first time at Art World Expo 2014

Interview With…

Adelle Airey

by Alyssa Laube

About: Adelle Airey describes herself as a “self-taught artist, typically creating acrylic paintings of single flower blooms or plant life covering the entire canvas.” To learn more about Adelle, go to http://www.facebook.com/AdelleAireyArtworks

Is this your first time at the Art World Expo? What are you looking forward to?

Yes. I am looking forward to having my work on public display for the first time.

How did you get started in art?

I have always loved to draw and create things. My grandmother liked to paint and she encouraged me to paint even if it was just as a hobby. I was recognized in my senior years of high school, as Seaquam Secondary’s “Outstanding Senior Art Student” and commissioned to design and paint a hallway mural. My pencil & ink drawings and water colour paintings were proudly hung around my parent’s house. Many of my early pieces were given as gifts to special friends.

How were you influenced as an artist by your heritage or home town?

Our family lived on a small non-working farm in Delta in the70s. Growing up surrounded by colourful things in nature and interesting personalities of animals, has definitely influenced my art.

Who was your main inspiration growing up and how has it changed from then?

Artists like Patrick Nagel and Ty Wilson have probably made the biggest impression on me as an artist. I admire their simplicity of style and use of contrasts and colour.

Many of your paintings are of flowers. Is there any specific reason for this?

I still have the first photo I took with my parent’s camera. I was 9 years old and it was of a rose in our garden. I appreciate the wide variety in plants and flowers, and they allow for artistic expression.

What do you consider your “big break”?

Art World Expo 2014 !

How have you developed as an artist, both professionally and personally?

I realize I cannot be afraid to experiment. Researching techniques and ways to improve as a painter may not always lead to a “good” piece, but that is ok. Personally, I have “developed” in facing my fears and gaining confidence in myself as an artist.

How did you receive your training?

I am a self-taught artist with no formal training.

You also create sculptures. How did that start?

I started a craft project over the winter of ‘93. My first Paper Mache sculptures were a decorative bowl and a prickly pear cactus. After showing a co-worker what I had made, she asked if she could commission a piece for her home. The sale of that piece quickly lead to another 5 commissioned pieces.

Have you ever gotten “Artist’s Block” and if so, how did you deal with it?

I didn’t do any art for a long time. Don’t know if that was a “block” or just letting life get in the way of something I really needed to do. I find setting a goal or deadline for a piece helps motivate me. I try to work on my art only when I’m in the mood”.

What is your favorite (and least favorite) thing about being an artist?

Fav: I get a lot of satisfaction when I am finished a piece and it turns out the way I envisioned. Least fav: criticism that is not constructive.

Did you always want to be an artist? If not, what did you want to be and when/why did you change your mind?

Yes. I just didn’t really know what kind. I thought about being a graphic artist; makeup artist; or interior designer.