Artist and illustrator Ty Derk's work has roots in fantasy illustration, but his personal projects stray far from the conventions of the genre. Monochromatic and set against clean, white backgrounds, Derk's drawings present viewers with scientific sketches of alien specimens. Marine life fuses with elements of the human anatomy and even architecture. His creatures are armed with barbs, pincers, and armor-like exoskeletons — definitely not something we'd want to approach in the wild.
Artist and illustrator Ty Derk’s work has roots in fantasy illustration, but his personal projects stray far from the conventions of the genre. Monochromatic and set against clean, white backgrounds, Derk’s drawings present viewers with scientific sketches of alien specimens. Marine life fuses with elements of the human anatomy and even architecture. His creatures are armed with barbs, pincers, and armor-like exoskeletons — definitely not something we’d want to approach in the wild.
Richard A. Kirk's drawings emerge out of nature, using its elements to craft strange creatures and scenes. He’s brought this sensibility in illustrations for the likes of Clive Barker, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Christopher Golden, and others. However, in his personal work, we find these monsters and ideas roaming free from specific narrative.
Melancholic girls find themselves in moments of quiet drama in the works of British artist Craww and San Francisco based (and Hi-Fructose co-founder) Annie Owens. Where Craww's pieces feature heroines with an almost spiritual-like quality, Owens' black and white watercolors and sketches enhance the mystery of her subjects. Both artists will present new works in side by side solo exhibitions opening on October 29th at Antler Gallery in Portland.
Andi Soto, a Panama-based artist, uses ink, graphite, prismacolor pencils, gel pens, and other materials to create her intricate figures, often bare and seemingly vulnerable. Soto often removes flesh and other elements while adorning her female characters with head-dressings. Yet, the parts that remain are rendered in absorbing and detailed linework. In the past, the artist has described her style as “knitting with ink.”
Jon MacNair opens windows into cryptic worlds with his monochromatic pen-and-ink drawings. His work has a decidedly vintage, if not medieval, feel. The artist renders elaborate depictions of self-created myths and legends, but rather than being grandiose, the tone of his work is self-aware and humorous. Demons and shamans mug for the viewer while performing rituals and spells. Some of his drawings show gratuitous, cartoon violence akin to that of heavy metal album art and skateboard graphics. MacNair has a solo show opening at Portland's Antler Gallery this Thursday, August 28, titled "Age of Enigmas." In addition to his own work, the exhibition will feature MacNair's collaborations with five other artists he admires: Jennifer Parks, Trudy Creen, Mark Burt, Ian Anderson, and Michael Hsiung.
