Italian-born, Japan-based artist Philip Giordano paints humorous animal characters with textured, impressionistic brushstrokes — an unusual juxtaposition of traditional techniques and a cartoon-like style. Giordano is a children’s book illustrator by trade and his personal work retains similarly whimsical qualities. His latest series of paintings depicts a gigantic cat in a place that could either be in the thick of the forest or underwater. Sea creatures float in mid air while the cat examines a variety of surreal characters and object that seem to be its playthings. One wouldn’t necessarily describe the narratives in Giordano’s paintings as adventures because his fictional world seems neatly arranged and unmoving, almost like a still life. Take a look at Giordano’s latest work below.
Taiwan-born artist 
Shiqing "Demo" Deng is known for both riveting and haunting paintings, in which surreal surprises hide in the contours of her figures. She recently showed this work at Parasol Projects @ 213 Bowery in a show titled "All My Friends Are Monsters." The gallery says she often uses "fellow artists as the primary players" in her work, further facilitating a look at varying realities.