Since 2012, Jillian Dickson has explored motherhood and nature’s flora and fauna with the series “Our Epidural Currency.” These drawings combine blooming flowers, female organs, and insects for a cohesive portrait of evolutionary strength. Yet, in each of these bold renderings, viewers are first drawn to the complex beauty found in these self-contained ecosystems. The goal, she says in a statement, is to “examine the forgotten and neglected connection between the female tactile body and wild mother nature.”
It was Jillian pregnancy that sparked the idea for the series, as she remembered the inherent power and resilience found in the female body. Each work, mostly done in colored pencil, has a delicate nature to its design. But when Dickson adds in “high claustrophobic detailing, tightening of ropes, and grotesque veiny placentas,” the unity of the piece is secured.
Dickson’s work has appeared anywhere from Cincinnati, Ohio, to the Louvre in Paris. Recent shows have hit Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, Antler Gallery in Portland, and Muskegon Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
In another ongoing series, “Fam Farm,” Dickson explores how Western farming has evolved and been corrupted. These delicate portraits show unassuming ribbons and balloons wrapped around animals, subtlely shown to be secretly suffering as corporations dress up and package the end results. These works were last featured on HiFructose.com here.
On scraps on paper, the drawings of Turkish artist Razi Razavi seem to apparate in a ghostly manner, the artist’s sparse details having both uneasy and captivating effects. Each visage carries its own, private narrative, yet many stare directly into the viewer’s eyes. As you’lll see below, the artist’s practice also extends to painting, yet maintains similar qualities.
As hermit crabs grow, they require larger shells. Since suitable intact shells are sometimes a limited resource, vigorous competition often occurs among hermit crabs for shells. Japanese artist 
Massive drawings by