Cosplay is an Art: Maxim Zayats (SirMax) - Succubus

Models: Kristina Yakimova (victim) and Oksana Chucha (Succubus)

via Maxim Zayats (SirMax)

 

Jean Crotti

Art Appreciation

Jean Crotti was born on April 24, 1878, in Bulle, Fribourg, Switzerland. He initially studied at Munich's School of Decorative Arts before moving to Paris in 1901 to attend the Académie Julian.

In Paris, Crotti's early work was influenced by Impressionism, Fauvism, and Art Nouveau. Around 1910, he began exploring Orphism, an offshoot of Cubism.

Crotti's best-known works often feature abstract compositions with spiritual themes. He also developed the "Gemmail" technique, which involved layering colored glass to create unique color combinations when illuminated.

Buste de Femme, 1920

Femme À L'éventail, 1923

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.natalieseroussi.com/en/artists/16-jean-crotti/biography/

https://www.metmuseum.org/research-centers/leonard-a-lauder-research-center/research-resources/modern-art-index-project/crotti

https://www.fivecontinentseditions.com/en/p/jean-crotti-3/

https://www.askart.com/artist/Jean_Crotti/10012218/Jean_Crotti.aspx

J.M.W. Turner

Art Appreciation

Joseph Mallord William Turner, born on April 23, 1775, in Covent Garden, London, was one of the most influential English Romantic painters. His father was a barber and wig maker, while his mother struggled with mental illness, which led to her institutionalization. 

Despite his modest upbringing, Turner showed an early talent for drawing. His father, recognizing his son’s potential, supported his artistic pursuits by selling his sketches in his shop. Turner’s childhood was marked by frequent trips to the countryside, where he developed a fascination with landscapes and natural light, themes that would define his career.

At just 14 years old, Turner entered the prestigious Royal Academy of Art in 1789. Initially, he considered becoming an architect, but his passion for painting took precedence. While studying, he developed his skills by working with topographical draftsmen, which refined his attention to detail. 

Turner’s first exhibited oil painting, Fishermen at Sea (1796), showcased his mastery of light and shadow, depicting a dramatic moonlit seascape. This work marked the beginning of his long and celebrated career, earning him recognition for his ability to convey movement and atmosphere.

Turner’s style evolved significantly throughout his life. Early in his career, he was known for detailed landscapes and historical scenes, but he gradually adopted a more expressive and abstract approach. He often used watercolor in addition to oil, which allowed him to experiment with luminosity and color. 

Turner’s later works, characterized by swirling brushstrokes and vibrant hues, pushed the boundaries of traditional landscape painting. His use of thick impasto and layered glazes created an almost ethereal quality, influencing the Impressionist movement decades later.

Among Turner’s best-known paintings are The Fighting Temeraire (1839), which depicts an old warship being towed to its final berth, symbolizing the end of an era, and Rain, Steam, and Speed (1844), which captures the power and motion of the Industrial Revolution. The Slave Ship (1840) is another striking work, blending vivid color and raw emotion to depict the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade. 

Turner’s ability to portray both the grandeur and turbulence of nature solidified his legacy as one of Britain’s greatest painters.

Fishermen at Sea, 1796

The Fighting Temeraire, 1839

Rain, Steam, and Speed, 1844

The Slave Ship, 1840

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://smarthistory.org/turner-the-fighting-temeraire/

https://galleryintell.com/artex/rain-steam-and-speed-jmw-turner/

Richard Diebenkorn

Art Appreciation

Richard Diebenkorn was born on April 22, 1922, in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of his early life in San Francisco, California. From a young age, he showed an interest in art, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and architecture of the West Coast. 

He pursued formal training at Stanford University, where he studied under art historian Victor Arnautoff and was introduced to the work of modernist painters such as Edward Hopper and Paul Cézanne. His studies were interrupted by World War II when he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, but after the war, he resumed his education at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute), where he became part of a growing community of avant-garde artists.

Diebenkorn’s early career was shaped by the Abstract Expressionist movement, and his work during the late 1940s and early 1950s reflected the gestural, energetic style popular at the time. 

He moved frequently, living in California, New Mexico, and Illinois, each place influencing his evolving artistic approach. In the 1950s, he became associated with the Bay Area Figurative Movement, shifting away from pure abstraction to incorporate representational elements. This period marked a significant transition in his work, as he explored human figures, interiors, and landscapes with a renewed focus on color and structure.

Diebenkorn’s technique was characterized by his ability to blend abstraction with a sense of spatial depth. His paintings often featured layered brushstrokes, geometric compositions, and a balance between spontaneity and careful construction. 

His most notable exhibitions included a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1976 and another at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1997. Throughout his career, he continued to push artistic boundaries, earning recognition as one of the most influential American painters of the 20th century.

One of Diebenkorn’s most famous works is Ocean Park #54 (1972), part of his renowned Ocean Park series. Created after he moved to Southern California, the series showcased his shift to luminous color fields and structured compositions, inspired by the light and atmosphere of the coastal environment.

Ocean Park #54, 1972

Tri-Color, 1981

Coffee, 1959

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://diebenkorn.org/

https://www.sfmoma.org/artist/Richard_Diebenkorn/

https://whitney.org/artists/356

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/diebenkorn-richard/

https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/72.59/

Body Art: Maurice Sagot - Captain America

Model: Michael Vargas 

via STUDIOGAMA PRODUCCIONES

Dance: Каюсь · YUVI

Choreography: Olga Baidyuk

via Czech Exotic Open 

Chocolate Bunny Pirate

Back when my daughter was little, her mom and I created our own version of the Easter Bunny tradition. Every year, the Easter Bunny would swing by and leave a basket filled with goodies, toys, and—of course—a big chocolate bunny.

One year, though, we completely dropped the (Easter) ball and forgot to prep. So, just hours before the big day, I dashed over to the nearest Walgreens, about half a mile away, in search of plastic eggs, treats, toys and, of course, a chocolate bunny. The only one left was a tall bunny with just one blue eye. That’s right—one. The other was mysteriously missing. I asked an employee if there were any more in the back. She smiled and said nope, this was the final survivor—but she did offer a discount for the optical casualty.

When I got home, my daughter’s mom was thrilled to see the bags of goodies… until I said, “There’s a small problem.” I pulled the bunny from the box and, without missing a beat, she said, “It’s missing an eye.”

We stared at our one-eyed chocolate friend in confusion, until we noticed something rattling inside the box. There it was—the rogue chocolate eye! With high hopes, she tried to press it back into place… but pressed a little too hard, and the eye went straight through the bunny’s face.

After a moment of stunned silence and a few belly laughs, inspiration struck—we had a toy eye patch left over from our daughter’s pirate-themed birthday party. We patched up our new bunny friend, tied an orange ribbon around his ears, and just like that, Captain Cocoa was born. Easter was saved.

by Adam Sacks (@adamsacks)