Artist Profile: Joachim Castaneda

Every once in a while I get an email from a designer that’s not on my radar and it makes my day. Not long ago, Joachim Castaneda reached out, sending along a vibrant portfolio filled with cartoon whimsy. Originally from San Diego, Castaneda grew up in San Francisco and is now living in Barcelona. This is his first collection of paintings and drawings and it’s currently on display at La Petita Galeria. It’s mighty impressive for a first exhibition.

The mission behind Castaneda’s work reveals the conflict between desire and materialism in relation to our value system. The goal aims to provoke and provide awareness.

November 28, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Street Shots: West Village Mural Making

Out with the old, in with the new. The old lukoil station’s been under construction for a few weeks. Padding the construction with a little art, this mural recently appeared. Assuming it’s about to get a lot more colorful. Will keep you posted!

November 26, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Buy Some Damn Art (from Tyson A. Roberts)!

One of our favorite Pixel Pushers, Tyson Anthony Roberts, is selling six fantastic original mixed media works along with Joana Chavezon on the hand-picked flash art sale site, Buy Some Damn Art. The paintings are embroidered and heavily green with a style we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from this west coast creative.

It’s exciting to see the evolution of his work, as his style translates beautifully between 2D graphics and 3D paintings.

November 23, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Flying High with Chloe Early

In her latest exhibition, Feathers and Wax, painter Chloe Early explores her fascination with flight. In her representations of gravity and the brief moments suspension, her figures are caught at the tipping point between soaring and falling.

These atmospheric “scenes” are set against high-contrast washes of saturated color. Early creates her large-scale montages by incorporating imagery inspired by her own photography and personal travel photos. Symmetry is created and destroyed as each work shifts between the abstract and the representational, Eden and Armageddon.

November 22, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

The Traveling Slideluck Potshow

Lately I’ve been filling a void and consuming as much live art as possible. For a good part of the year, work, life and the internet’s gotten the best of me and I’ve found myself sitting behind the computer only getting a 2D fill. With that said, I’ve made it my mission this Fall and Winter to get back out there. Last night, my friend Katie suggested we support the Slideluck Potshow, an organization devoted to bringing food, art and entertainment together.

To raise money and get the crowd going, there was a silent and live auction. I have to say I was pretty restrained and withheld from bidding. The art was impressively reasonable, and good! Here’s a shot of the most remarkable feather denim jacket, my lovely friends and two impressive works from the evening.

November 10, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

FIAC Art Spotting in Paris

As promised, here are a few shots from this past weekend in Paris. In my last minute scrambling to find a hotel, I managed to plant myself smack dab in the middle of the Marais on gallery row. A surprise and a treat, as it was FIAC and the art was flowing.

Here are a few shots I took from the street. I wish I could share references, though I wasn’t able to get names, so if anyone would like to be credited, please get in touch.

These two exhibits blew me away- the gravity defying balancing act of the diver is intense, crisp and slick in a Gattaca kind of way, just as this gallery display is a refreshing spin on arrangement and clustering.

October 28, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik