Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Italian Foodie Art, Old School!

Giuseppe Arcimboldo was an Italian painter best known for creating portrait heads made entirely of such objects as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books — that is, he painted representations of these objects on the canvas arranged in such a way that the whole collection of objects formed a recognisable likeness of the portrait subject.

The Milanese and the Hapsburgs couldn't get enough of him during his 16th century lifetime but, after his death, Giuseppe Arcimboldo's works languished unnoticed in some moldering closet of art history for over 300 years. Until, that is, the Surrealists came along, drew inspiration from his anthropomorphic paintings and touted the artist's name once again.
Vertumnus (Portrait of Rudolf ll) is one of the latest, and perhaps the very best surviving example of the artist’s ‘composed heads’. He painted it in 1591, during his final visit to his native Milan.


via- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Arcimboldo

Till Nowak, Mo'Food Art

Inspired by the biomechanical creations of the artist H.R. Giger ( of Alien fame) and Italian painter, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, this digital 3d piece is mouth wateringly scary. Till Nowak is a 28 year old digital artist, designer and filmmaker from Germany. He used 12 different types of vegetables to create "Salad". Examples of Giger's work ( an ELO album cover ) and Arcimboldo shown below...

"Eat It!" Exhibit All Things Food & Art...

A Group Art Exhibit Based On Any & All Things Food!

Just in time for Spring festivities, Pagan celebrations and Easter, a show of more than 75 works of art having to do with aspects of food, wine, cooking and eating. Oils, photography, sculpture, watercolors, mixed-media, prints, assemblage and acrylics are all represented. As well as edible art by Sweetface Bakery.
In addition, there will be a special food-carving demonstration at the Closing Reception by the Art Chef extraordinare, Jimmy Zhang.

Artists Exhibiting:
Patricia Anders, Marie Barr, Diana Blackwell, Yvette Buigues, Andy B. Clarkson, Gary Comoglio, Robert Connett, Paul Coren, Cheryl Cruz, Celso Dalisay, Alicia DeBrincat, Cherry Elliott, Sylvia Falcon, Jamie Fales, Rudy Fig, Kristin Fialko, Brooke Fletcher, J.C. Garrett, Charles Granich, Edmund Grant, Pouke Halpern, Audrey Hodtwalker, Aaron Johnson, Aunia Kahn, Kerry Kate, Charles Lucke, Daniel Malone, Polly Mania, Ginger Markley, Jason Mecier, Marco Mejia, Chuck Mitchell, Laurel Nathansan, Mary Patterson, Barbara Pollak, Barbara Rockhold, Kurtis Rykovich, Maya Samuels, John Seabury, Lisa Simonson, Marie Soderlund, Sam Vaughan, Michelle Waters, Jean Witzke

Exhibit dates: March 13th thru April 26th
The Artist's Opening Reception: Friday March 13th from 7 to 9:30 pm.
Closing Reception and Food-Carving Demonstration: April 26th, from 3 -5 PM

For Our Online Gallery & More Info- Please go to:
http://www.eclectix.com

Food Meets Fashion- Bento!

Making the transition again linking food & fashion... some fun Japanese bento lunches. These were culled from many sites so it was hard to credit the makers. However, one site stood out as having many fun images.
http://www.mybentolunch.com

Where Food and Fashion Merge...

When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping... and eating. Apparently, these are ads for something?, by someone?... 

but I found no credits.

None the less, these tasty handbags will not go un-noticed!

(Via: Amazing Design World)

Surreal Collage by Carrie Ann Baade

"It's about making the unreal real, making it believable for someone else."



Recently found the art of Carrie and was floored by the dreamy, fantasy world yet somewhat creepy (in a good way) quality of her works. They are incredible multi-layered tapestries of hallucinatory scenery. She has transcended the crafty image of collage and pushed it into the sphere of surrealist masterpieces.  Intrigued by her method and technique, I tried to do a little hunting to see what I could find out. Many artists are very secretive and downright shut mouthed about their techniques. Here is a little of what I found on her process.

"There are very real things that I am not aloud to speak of in polite society, the more I translate them into elaborate images to spell out my rage, my dissatisfaction, my pain, my secrets, and my loves which may also be secrets."
"I collect images, I dive into my piles of cut outs that I have been archiving for the past 5 years. The composition of the collage can be immediate or go through 15 hours of revisions. It is like reading cards, the answer will come as I am searching and the answer is usually visually surprising."
"Idea!, snip, cut, and collect - with lots of cello tape!, play and laugh at how funny images can be, revisions for 12 years, prepare copper, transfer image, paint in grisaille....totally tonal image with no chroma, paint in color, glaze and glaze, agonize, tell the painting it is the most beautiful thing that I have EVER created, frame, eject from studio to be hung in the gallery never to be seen again....next!"

Some added words of wisdom for the struggling artist out there...
"Pretend that each letter of rejection means you get to go out to dinner. I have decided that I will have an exhibit of all my letters of rejection as soon as I have enough to cover a gallery. I am only 1/3 of the way there. Beyond that, my credo is: IGNORANCE AND BALLZ! I say ignorance because I don't ask questions. Never ask why you are doing this. Never question your ability. Never wonder if you would be richer or happier doing something else. Ballz is the momentum to keep doing it despite impossible odds."

Sources and more info:

Beinart Surreal Art Collective -
http://beinart.org/modules/Word-Press/2007/06/12/beinart-interview-with-carrie-ann-baade/

Phantasasmaphile -
http://www.phantasmaphile.com/2006/09/interview_with_.html

My ArtSpace -
http://www.myartspace.com/blog/2006/11/art-space-talk-carrie-ann-baade_08.html

"Fierce Fashion!"- A Group Art Exhibition at Eclectix

Exhibit Dates: Jan 16th Thru Feb. 22nd, 2009
A Theme Show Very Loosely Based On Fashion, Persona, Clothes & Attire
Fierce Artists Exhibiting:
Johnathan Baker, Bryan Barnes, Marie Barr, Bill Brewer, Slimm Buick, Sara Christian, Elizabeth Dante, Jenny Dayton, Patrick Deignan, Steven J.Gelberg, Edmund Grant, Louis Hansell, Dion Hitchings, Kerry Kate, Josh Lawyer, Edith Lebeau, Mike Maas, Daniel Malone, Polly Mania , Dean McDowell, Fletcher Oakes, Arabella Proffer, Janna Stern, Eric Trimble, Neil Verni, Carlos Villas, Michelle Waters and Joshua Witten
Card art "The Red Queen" by Edith Lebeau

Opening Reception: Jan. 16th, 7 to 10 PM
PLUS!
A FASHION SHOW BY FERAL ARTERY-Featuring comfortable & fashion with a fun edge! Designs with ray guns, zombies, devils and abominable snowmen.
AN ART CAKE BY SWEETFACE -A local bakery borne out of a devotion to perfecting specialty baked goods that could be enjoyed by fellow enthusiasts of all things sweet and delicious. Creating sweet perfection everyday!
LIVE MUSIC BY DENNIS FORTIN & FRIENDS - Gypsy swing & jazz ensemble.

Eclectix Gallery & Store
10082 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito, CA 94530
(510) 364-7261
For More Info, Go To: http://www.eclectix.com

Eclectix Presents: The 50/50 Show

Eclectix Presents: The 50/50 Show, Nov. 14th-Dec.28th
Come One, Come All ... To See The Show!
Fifty artists exhibiting their works, all priced at fifty bucks!
An eclectic mixed media of goodies, ready to buy and take home, right off the walls. No theme, just lots of cool art. When one piece is sold, it will be replaced by a new piece. Be original and give the gift of art this season!
Make it an EclectiXmas!
Opening reception: November 14th, from 7-10 PM.
Live Music, Art & Thou.
At Eclectix Gallery, 10082 San Pablo Ave. (at Central Ave.), El Cerrito, Ca 94530
For more info: http://www.eclectix.com