Comprised of work and life partners Stacey Ransom and Jason Mitchell, the artist duo Ransom & Mitchell create photo illustrations that bring the stuff of pop surrealist painting to life. Instead of rendering their haunting, baroque portraits with two-dimensional media, the two artists stick to hammers, nails, stage make-up and whatever other props they can find to build elaborate sets where they shoot their subjects.
Ransom & Mitchell have a solo show coming up at Varnish Fine Art in San Francisco on September 8 titled “Smoke & Mirrors,” which appropriately alludes to their use of illusions in their work to transport the viewer into their otherworldly visions. The two artists involve themselves actively in the San Francisco art scene, and their latest body of work includes a series of surreal artist portraits that feature the likes of Scott Musgrove, Alex Pardee and Mike Davis. Take a look at some of Shaun Roberts‘ behind-the-scenes shots of their photo shoot with Scott Musgrove.
