Richard W. James was recently named a recipient of the James Renwick Alliance 2019 Chrysalis Award. The Texas-based mixed-media sculptor is known for his surreal figures, crafted in found objects and earthenware. Those who receive the honor get $5,000, unrestricted. James was last featured on HiFructose.com here.
“The jurors were impressed with James’ superb craftsmanship but ultimately it was his unique vision and voice that captured our attention,” said JRA President Michele Manatt, in a release. “We were delighted to have strong interest in the Chrysalis award from all over the United States this year, with a record number of applications, demonstrating vibrancy in the craft field.”
See more from the artist on his site.
Fred Tomaselli's psychedelic painting/collage hybrids have mind-altering tendencies in more ways than one. Over his career, the artist has earned a reputation for blending psychotropic substances with cut-out photos of animals and human parts to create his surreal works of art. Newer pieces shift the focus to more conventional photo collage and acrylic, yet are no less mesmerizing. Colorful and imaginative, Tomaselli's works are like portals to an alternate universe, where his "inquiry into utopia/dystopia - framed by artifice but motivated by the desire for the real - has turned out to be the primary subject".
Cesar Piette’s analogue paintings carry the texture and sheen of digitally created Pixar characters. The artist uses a blend of paint techniques, between traditional layering and airbrush approaches. Before that, the artist has first designed these characters via sketching, digital modeling and adjustment, and then goes to work on the final painting.