Peter van Straten

Art Appreciation

When I was a young boy, I remember running around outside in the dark pretending I lived in a post-apocalyptic world. My surroundings were filled with pure imaginative structures, elaborate floating objects and characters that only I could see.

The surreal and almost spiritual artwork by Peter van Straten reminds me of my youth. The South African artist's paintings captures the world behind what we see. His glazing technique adds to the experience of involving the viewer into his thoughts painted on canvas.

You can see the beautiful imaginative world of Peter van Straten HERE.

Beings and bodies in time

Extreme pianism The art of craft

The bull and the ballerina

The Thirst

Source: http://www.petervanstraten.co.za/; http://www.saatchionline.com/petervanstraten; http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_van_straten/; https://www.facebook.com/surrealvanstraten; http://www.capegallery.co.za/peter_van_straten1.html; http://www.finearts.co.za/index.php/painting/peter-van-straten; http://thesnad.deviantart.com/; http://www.myersonfineart.com/index.php?mode=browser&sub=artistCv&ArtistId=10; http://www.davidbrownfineart.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=15; http://scenicsouth.co.za/2012/10/an-interview-with-peter-van-straten-artist-writer-and-songwriter/

Stanko Abadžic

Photography Appreciation

I came across a black and white photo of a beautiful girl in front of a vanity titled In Front of the Mirror. I thought perhaps this photo was taken in the 20s or 30s. After researching the photographer, I learned that this photo was taken in the last decade.

Croatian photographer Stanko Abadžić, born in 1952, is known for his nostalgic black and white photos. Abadžić's work has been exhibited across the globe.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Aperture Man, Zagreb Croatia (2011) via pluvisca-gozandoconlamirada  

Feet and Cello (2005) via pluvisca-gozandoconlamirada

All My Apples via thebesttimeoftheday

In Front of the Mirror via photographyinterviews 

Sources: http://sabadzic.net.amis.hr/; http://pluvisca-gozandoconlamirada.blogspot.com/2012_03_23_archive.html; http://thebesttimeoftheday.blogspot.com/2011/08/stanko-abadzic.html; http://www.vervegallery.com/; http://www.cornelyu.ro/blog/?p=217; http://www.catherinecouturier.com/artists/stanko-abadzic/gallery/happiness/; http://photographyinterviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/stanko-abadzic-old-school-lyricism-few.html

Igor Medvedev

Art Appreciation

While I was browsing the art gallery on the Carnival Cruise ship, I noticed a couple of painting of boats. I thought perhaps these works were by Horacio Cardozo. They were actually paintings by Ukrainian artist, Igor Medvedev.

Born in 1931, Medvedev's lived during the World War II. He spent his young life in Germany before immigrating to the United States.

He is known for his realistic architectural, nautical, cityscapes, and female figurative paintings.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Fuengirola, Spain (2005) via kazimbaloglu

Sapphire via kazimbaloglu

Untitled via tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica

Untitled via josephdonaghy

Untitled via tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica

Sources: http://kazimbaloglu.blogspot.com/2013/02/igor-medvedev.html; http://josephdonaghy.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/catherine-la-rose-by-igor-medvedev/; http://majamalamamaivogovieditorijali.blogspot.com/2012/10/igor-medvedev.html; http://www.parkwestgallery.com/artist/igor-medvedev/; http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2012/03/igor-medvedev-1961-russian-painter.html; http://www.artbrokerage.com/Igor-Medvedev; http://www.franklinbowlesgallery.com/Shared_Elements/ArtistPages/Medvedev/pages/medv-home.html; http://www.rogallery.com/Medvedev/Medvedev-hm.htm; http://artnow.ru/en/gallery/3/4384/picture/0/0.html; http://tatucya.com/2012/01/02/igor-vitalevich/

Tool - Sober

Music Appreciation

In 1993, alternative metal band, Tool, released Sober. The music video, which was filmed using stop-motion animation, was released the same year.

This is probably the only music video that I can remember from when I was young being scared sh*tless. I remember watching this and going to bed praying for God to make me forget the images and sound. Ironically, since the song has strong religious overtones, with lyrics such as "Mother Mary won't you whisper, something but what's past and done."

Perhaps the scariest part of the music video is watching what looked like intestines moving along a pipe that is uncovered by the protagonist.

Viewer discretion advised.

Alex Russell Flint

Art Appreciation

Great-grandson of artist Sir William Russell Flint, Alex Russell Flint is known for his realistic oil paintings of beautiful women in intimate settings in a juxtaposition manner. As one art enthusiast describes, "[Flint] places the female models in a slightly worn and aged looking room...the rugged setting almost works as a contradition -- beautifying the model in a subtle manner."

You can see more of his work HERE.

Hungover, Sunday Morning via pomodoroebasilico

Alone Now via artodyssey1

Olivia Sitting via artodyssey1

Sources: http://alexrussellflint.com/Home; http://www.emptykingdom.com/featured/alex-russell-flint/
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2013/08/alex-russell-flint.html; http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/alex-russell-flint; http://thehorseboxgallery.com/artists/alex-russell-flint/; http://weareselecters.com/2013/05/Alex-Russell-Flint/; http://www.tinyowlproductions.com/alex-russell-flint/; http://supersonicelectronic.com/post/34654516672/alex-russell-flint-paintings-by-alex-russell; http://www.panterandhall.com/Alex-Russell-Flint-Artist-Page.aspx; http://pomodoroebasilico.blogspot.com/2013/01/alex-russell-flint.html; http://chasseurmagazine.com/2013/05/29/the-art-of-alex-russell-flint/#; http://www.reubencolleyfinearts.co.uk/assets/uploaded/downloads/Alex_Russell_Flint_'Les_femmes_et_l'ancienne_ecole'_preview.pdf

Sir William Russell Flint

Art Appreciation

Sir William Russell Flint was a Scottish artist and illustrator known for his watercolor paintings of women. He was born on April 4, 1880 in Edinburgh and died of leukemia on December 27, 1969.

The interested thing about Sir William Russell Flint is that he illustrated Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (1912) and was knighted in 1947.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Nicolette via mydelineatedlife

The Passing of Arthur (1910) via polarbearstale

Models for Olympians via art-magique

Sources: http://www.sirwilliamrussellflintprints.co.uk/; http://www.britishpathe.com/video/an-artist-aka-sir-william-russell-flint-ra/query/wildcard; http://www.artnet.com/artists/william%20russell-flint/; http://art-magique.blogspot.com/2011/08/sir-william-russell-flint.html; http://my-museum-of-art.blogspot.com/2010/09/sir-william-russell-flint-odyssey-of.html; http://polarbearstale.blogspot.com/2012/03/le-morte-darthur_28.html; http://catherinelarose.blogspot.com/2012/09/william-russell-flint-1880-1969.html; http://mydelineatedlife.blogspot.com/2010/08/nicolette.html; Wikipedia

Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls

Music Appreciation

I remember waiting for an hour to get into the Movies 8 theater in McAllen to watch The Crow, a movie based on the James O'Barr comic book about a rock musician who comes back to life to avenge his murder. Although many may have gone to watch this dark and goth movie for the action, my friends and I went to watch that scene where Brandon Lee was accidentally killed.

I could comfortably say that the movie merged and boosted both goth and grunge subcultures when both were beginning to wane, and in its haze, Trent Reznor emerged.

The industrial sound of Nine Inch Nails captivated a large audience in the early 90's. So it was no surprise that NIN's dark ambient sound of its cover of Joy Division's Dead Souls was included in The Crow Soundtrack.

Source: Wikipedia