Thanks to one Brian K., I found about a product called "Gelaskins," which I think is a great idea and a place that one Nikki M. Bills ought to explore as a gallery opportunity. I'm just sayin'...
The artists of the various Gelaskins are mind-bogglingly good (as is that word...roll that across your tongue a few times!), and I would have a hard time choosing just one. Thank goodness they're so reasonably priced - one could conceivably change them out, like duvet covers, except that I've seen the application process in person. Rather like removing wrinkles from an elephant.
In any case, it led me to the discovery of artist Audrey Kawasaki, whose style reminds me of a mix of faerie art and Japanese screen prints with a touch of near-Victorian formality. It's really gorgeous. It's also boob-laden. I don't have a problem with that, but some of you might not want to click further into the site if you're at work.
I have this one as my desktop background at work. It may prove to be a bit busy with the thousands of other Windows I have open at any given moment, but for now, it makes me smile to see the lil' sloth eyes peeking out from under a spreadsheet every now and again. I particularly like the postcard-esque division of this painting; most of hers are single shots only.
In fact, part of the reason I have a collection of Tarot cards is because I truly love the artwork, and in that particular type of small, organized display form. Were I a man, I would undoubtedly have an extensive baseball card collection, for the same reason. But since stats and uniforms don't quite have the same appeal as "the pretty"...here you go.
A few years back, I found an art card collection of the artist Thomas Canty on Ebay, and purchased it *fast*. He's done covers for some of my favorite fantasy books, the favoritist book of all being Pamela Dean's "Tam Lin." I can't tell you how many times I've re-read it. Romance, fantasy, the kind of college life I always dreamt of having...it's wonderful. Canty's art really tied the modern and the historical ballad together for me.
The roomie, aka Dingbat, has quite the eye for art as well, always looking for something he can work into his tattoo designs. Through him, I found out about the Spectrum series of art collections, in which a great many other incredible artists can be found. I am not an artist of the hand...I amuse myself with my IM doodles and dry-erase board stick figures, but that seems to be the extent of my skills with color and graphite...but I understand how difficult it must be for someone who is truly passionate about their work, who would do anything to be able to live it as their career, to find an outlet for it.
If collections and card packs and book covers, blown out over the Internet for all to see, is of any help to that goal, then I support it wholeheartedly. I'd love to see every artist do a Tarot collection, solely because the translation of that ancient symbol set into the individual's creative eye reminds me of composing a sonnet. The foundation, the base, is there for all to use, but how you fill it in is where the genius lies.
The artists of the various Gelaskins are mind-bogglingly good (as is that word...roll that across your tongue a few times!), and I would have a hard time choosing just one. Thank goodness they're so reasonably priced - one could conceivably change them out, like duvet covers, except that I've seen the application process in person. Rather like removing wrinkles from an elephant.
In any case, it led me to the discovery of artist Audrey Kawasaki, whose style reminds me of a mix of faerie art and Japanese screen prints with a touch of near-Victorian formality. It's really gorgeous. It's also boob-laden. I don't have a problem with that, but some of you might not want to click further into the site if you're at work.
I have this one as my desktop background at work. It may prove to be a bit busy with the thousands of other Windows I have open at any given moment, but for now, it makes me smile to see the lil' sloth eyes peeking out from under a spreadsheet every now and again. I particularly like the postcard-esque division of this painting; most of hers are single shots only.
In fact, part of the reason I have a collection of Tarot cards is because I truly love the artwork, and in that particular type of small, organized display form. Were I a man, I would undoubtedly have an extensive baseball card collection, for the same reason. But since stats and uniforms don't quite have the same appeal as "the pretty"...here you go.
A few years back, I found an art card collection of the artist Thomas Canty on Ebay, and purchased it *fast*. He's done covers for some of my favorite fantasy books, the favoritist book of all being Pamela Dean's "Tam Lin." I can't tell you how many times I've re-read it. Romance, fantasy, the kind of college life I always dreamt of having...it's wonderful. Canty's art really tied the modern and the historical ballad together for me. The roomie, aka Dingbat, has quite the eye for art as well, always looking for something he can work into his tattoo designs. Through him, I found out about the Spectrum series of art collections, in which a great many other incredible artists can be found. I am not an artist of the hand...I amuse myself with my IM doodles and dry-erase board stick figures, but that seems to be the extent of my skills with color and graphite...but I understand how difficult it must be for someone who is truly passionate about their work, who would do anything to be able to live it as their career, to find an outlet for it.
If collections and card packs and book covers, blown out over the Internet for all to see, is of any help to that goal, then I support it wholeheartedly. I'd love to see every artist do a Tarot collection, solely because the translation of that ancient symbol set into the individual's creative eye reminds me of composing a sonnet. The foundation, the base, is there for all to use, but how you fill it in is where the genius lies.
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