In the recent, enormous portraits painted by Mike Dargas, the artist pays homage to major figures in art history and tucks surprises into their contours. With “The Unbreakable,” which honors Frida Kahlo, the artist says she was “physically broken but her spirit was unbreakable and her powerful essence eternal.” See more of his recent portraits below.
“Inspired by Dali, Caravaggio and HR Giga, Dargas explores themes of reality and the surreal in his hyperrealistic oil paintings and charcoal drawings,” C24 Gallery says. “His quest for perfection results in works that read like photographs, snapshots of mental states. His subjects appear conflicted, lost in thought, or even sublimely calm. Dargas challenges both himself and the viewer to take a deeper look at the subject, in order to question human nature and emotional perception.”
Find Dargas on Instagram here.
In the Mia Brownell series "Plate to Platelet," the painter combines the sensibility of classical still life and the scientific investigation of blood cells, examining the relationship between consumers and food. Brownell is currently involved in two shows: a duo effort with Hunterdon Art Museum with Martin Kruck titled "Skepitcal Realism" and a group show at Shiva Gallery titled "Foodie Fever." She was last featured on our site 
British-Iranian artist Nikoo Bafti crafts vibrant scenes that represent Mother Nature, pulling inspiration from varying mythologies. The artist's background includes studies in illustration, with time spent animation development at Disney Channels in London before she embarked on a career in personal and freelance work.
Serge Gay Jr. offers a love letter to resort city Palm Springs in his new show, "P.S. I Love You," at Voss Gallery. Bathed in sunshine and a Mid-Century Modern sensibility, the works are a stirring blend of acrylics and graphite. “Popularized in the 1930s as a fashionable getaway for the Hollywood elite, the human-built utopia has become a haven for creatives lured to the vast desert as an artistic escape and source for inspiration,” the gallery says. The show, which begins on Oct. 11, runs through Nov. 2 at the San Francisco space.
Swiss painter