St. Joseph
Acrylic on Canvas

Krzysztof R. Babiracki was born in Walcz, Poland. He studied interior design, painting and drawing at The School of Fine Arts in Poznan (Poland) Mr. Babiracki works with graphite, pastels, oils, acrylics and photography. He is a member of CWCA - Chicago Windy City Artist, World Wide Arts Resources, Chicago Painters, Chicago Photographers and World Artist Directory.



This painting is called 4 am. He has done many other images, many figure drawings and paintings, but the ones I like best have brilliant color.

His new project is called "Faces" and can be seen on his website www.babiracki.com/.

Mujer Con gato
73 x 60 cm
Acrylic
Figurative

Chelin Sanjuan Piquero was born in Zaragoza, Spain in 1967. She gives classes of painting in "Studio Canfran" and classes in design of jewels to the students of the "School of Bazan Jewelry shop" in Zaragoza.

Her art intertwines people with animals - people being women, old men, children, and animals being cats, dogs and birds. Whimsical and magical, her images are evocative and surreal.


Children become angels, violin bows become twigs for birds, tomato vines grow mysteriously from bureaus and birds,flowers and hair interweave as one. She truly understands fantasy and has so many interesting images!



She is currently showing her art at Artealtea gallery "La Falla de Gallego y Rey" in Valencia, Spain. Her website is chelinsanjuan.info

Robert P. Hawkins
Piscina Naturale
89cm x 116cm
Plein air of north coast of Formentera

Robert P. Hawkins is a bit of an enigma. His origins are on the Northshore of Boston, Ipswich and Gloucester.
According to this site , he is a painter from Gloucester who was politely but firmly asked to leave and is now living and working in Paris,Fr. Baleares, Spain and Vicenza,Italy. He has been known to paint anything from cabaret dancers to sea slugs.

Well, this makes me want to find his cabaret dancer and sea slug paintings, or at least to find out why he was politely but firmly asked to leave!

He has had many shows up to 2003 in San Francisco, Paris, Vicenza Italy and Formentera, Islas Baleares, Spain.

His Artist Statement makes me laugh! Says Robert P. Hawkins:

Less said the better

Here, here~ I guess we'll just let his art speak for him then...









He also has an interesting idea of capturing images of smoke coming from smoke stacks as art. They are quite beautiful in an eerie way and a series of these paintings which you can view at his site.


Robert P. Hawkins' paintings make me feel as if I am seeing a place that I know and love once again. I am inside the painting. His work is fascinating and I hope to learn more! If anyone knows anything else about this artist, please comment!

Real World
Painting
Acrylic

It is a short walk to the picturesque foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the four mile creek flows through the Shankar Gallery estate and gardens.
The Shiva Lingam Temple centered in the heart of the gallery
is an inspiration to many! The variety of wall spaces display the wonderful paintings in a 'HOME' atmosphere. Shankar Gallery shows everyone the recent work by the artist Shankar - Richard Lazzara of Boulder,CO.USA.

Richard Lazzara's art has a theme of "Art For The Soul". He "challenges the viewer to penetrate one's own being. It is only through this knowledge of the inner self that one can open to Shankar Art." His website is shankar-gallery.com Shankar Gallery is found at 1840 Violet Ave. Boulder, Colorado 80304.

Says Shanker Art:

What inner awareness does one need to approach Shankar Art? Imagine the time (kala) devoted to creating this art. Recognize that in taking time to study Shankar Art, we may be inspired to find a moment of peace within ourselves. This "time-taking" will also reveal the viewer's own power to create, to transcend ordinary expression. In our examination, we discover metallics here, metallics there, explained by Shankar as higher notes in the scale of the color palette acting in this play of transcendence.

His art
has a definite message and purpose. His portfolio has an amazing array including Sumie Scrollings, Knot Art, Sumie Doors, Nada Series, Colorful Art Cards, Wearable Art (great earrings) and more. (See his entire collection on flickr.)

He has some unique Key Covers which seem very odd to me, but who am I to question the mind of such an artist? He is demiurgic and inspired.

Richard Lazzara also has a blog at shankargallery.blogspot.com.

Abstract 4 by Jan Skorb

"I think that it is an expression of soul searching and times of reflection. Sometimes leaving my thoughts and go where I've never been before.I'm fascinated by the world of the human heart and soul.Searching for gates that need to be opened,with a key,or without it.Sometimes one can open them easily,because they were opened,but one has to reach them first.That's why I'm always on my way...."

Jan Skorb is a Polish artist who was born in 1958. He has been living in Chicago USA from 1991. He is an accomplished artist with successful exhibitions in Poland, Germany, Norway and United States of America. He uses different techniques like oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, photography, and computer art.

His exhibitions include:
1985-Exhibition in Poland -Belchatow
1991-Exhibition in Germany-Bergneustadt
1991-Exhibition Norway-Laerdal
1996-Exhibition Wooden Gallery Chicago USA
2003-ArtExpo-Madrid
exhibition 2004-World-Fine-Art New York 511 West 25th Street (source)

I think that Jan is very prolific and interesting. Take for instance this computer art

called "Face to Face"

Something about his art really disturbs me. I don't know what it is, but I keep looking at it to try to discover it. It isn't bleak and it isn't enthusiastically passionate. It is beautiful, but it is intellectual. It's soothing in a strange and isolated way.

Wanted: Photographer


I am looking for a photographer (or several), with whom I can work with on a special project. I am looking for someone who can capture emotion and has an eye for detail. Specifics of the project can be discussed via email if you're interested. The ideal would be 35 mm, but digital is also fine. Take a look at some of the pictures used here and that's an idea of what I'm looking for, (and more!)

Anyone interested can leave a comment or send an email for details.

AMAZONIA - Astro catastro

Norma Nava was born near the lion´s colour river, under the constellation of Virgo, in Olivos city, Vicente Lopez County, Buenos Aires, Argentina. {see biography} She says:

During my whole life I have painted abstract paintings because I think this is the way along which the pure creation goes through

This is a poem she created:

Whichever I saw, I suffered. Whatever I lived, I dreamed. Whatever I kept, I lost. How much I loved and I forgot. How much I let go. How much I did not
believe...All that I shut up...One the waters are gone and the words dries the wood returning it ashgray, in some way or rare way those things must return left at the mercy of winds, clouds of the flames....Everything what finishes, reommences.Memory, time within the time moving in different directions.

Among her long trajectory and intense life, there are 26 international poetic anthologies, a personal book of poems, 26 group exhibitions, 24 individual and 22 national and international participations in important art. (artist statement)

Here is a fabulous picture which is too big to show on this blog.


Nature is central in her work and thinking. Some paintings show her interest in cell-biology and fractals. All this is mixed in with mesoamerican symbols and geometry and that makes Norma Nava a great structuralist
. Structuralism means that it's the artist's intention to fit together a painting's details in such a way that they produce a pictorial unity. To the structuralist, meaning arises from the functional differences between the elements (signs) within the system.

I enjoy browsing though all of Norma Nava's works. She is quite a genius. You can see more of her work at Norma Nava's Gallery.

“I believe that it may happen that one will succeed, and one must not begin to despair, even though defeated here and there; and even though one sometimes feels a kind of decay, though things go differently from the expected, it is necessary to take heart again and new courage.

For the great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. And great things are not something accidental, but must certainly be willed. What is drawing? How does one learn it? It is working through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can do.”

–Vincent Van Gogh

This is a painting by Arnor Bieltvedt. I love his style:
Here is another one of his paintings:



Arnor G. Bieltvedt grew up in Iceland. In his statement, Bielvedt says:

After exploring various styles and philosophies of painting for over a decade I suddenly feel like I have found my home or my style of expression. Iceland, the island in the North Atlantic where I grew up has returned to my consciousness and imagination and in the process opened up many doors. The beauty of Iceland’s atmospheric, surreal landscape, where stillness prevails but the heartbeat of living nature can also be felt and heard is an ideal setting for strong color expression. The most perfect natural carrier of color is the flower and I feel the attraction it has to the space, soil and air of these still, Nordic landscapes. This is unspoiled nature and reflects the unspoiled pure aspect of humanity; probably something worth seeking....

Arnor Bieltvedt Chicago, IL, Augst 2, 2005.

This painting shows a very different style, but I still love the use of color and expression.

This is called At The Fountain and it is a
Pastel print on paper. I love the way this painting captures a certain involement with tasks that children have. The way she is standing and her posture really show me that this artist is very familiar with children.

According to his Bio, Paul Andrus is originally from New York and is now a resident of Arizona. He has studied art in both the U.S. and Europe. Trained by the Navy as an illustrator, he went on to study painting in Paris, Copenhagen, New York, and Chicago, acquiring three Master's degrees in Art in the process.

Says Paul Andrus:

Of all the places that I have lived or visited, I feel that, France was the best. French people are hard to appreciate because they have a certain taste for sincerity and higher aspirations towards life. But, once they allow you to know them they are among the happiest people that I have ever known. It was my honor to live and study in Paris for two years. Two years of painting, fencing and eating and drinking very well. I want so much to some day return and show my wife and daughter this rich land of art, literature and culture. I hope that the opportunity will present itself one day. As I have said I am married and have a 9 year old daughter that is the joy of my life and the subject of much of my work today. We ara all involved with the arts. My wife paints in watercolors and plays piano. My daughter plays violin, rides horses (English) and want to be a writer and illustrator. She is already working on her first book about little girls and horses, of course. I am a private person with few really good friends that I would call "life friends". But, I am always willing to meet a potential new friend to add to the group. So feel free to contact me if you wish. Other than all of this I hope that you enjoy my work.

Click here contact Paul Andrus.

This is a painting by Andrew Lewandowski entitled "Crazy World". It is acrylic and paint pen on canvas. Andrew is from St. Louis, Missouri. His work can be viewed at Outsider Info and
La Passerelle. He has been represented by Ghost Dog Gallery and Art Mango Gallery. He was a participant in the London Raw Arts Festival in 2004.

According to his biography
he is presently a chaplain for the Franciscan Sisters of Mary in
St. Louis.

Says Andrew:

I remember getting into trouble with my folks when I was nine because I found the refrigerator rather boring. I thought it needed some color. It took me hours to clean off the crayon masterpiece.

Andrew Lewandowski was greatly influced by the work of Matt Lamb, Kelly Moore and Jay Marvin.

In his Artist Statement, Andrew Lewandoeski says:

The act of creation is one of the best qualities we human beings possess. I rely on an intuitive process. I 'look' into myself and allow whatever is there to emerge and express itself in images born in my imagination. The result is a work that is spontaneous and childlike. I use form and color to describe this inner world which is sometimes jubilant, sometimes sad, but always honest and direct.

I really love Andrew Lewandowski's paintings and think they are highly provocative and alluring. His drawings are excellent as well. Something about his style really speaks to me. In his blog he talks about his art and his life in depth. He is experiencing some difficult times at the moment. He says:

I am seeing images begin to come back and there is something in the work that calls out to me to keep going...keep drawing...keep painting. What is important is here in front of you, I sense rather than think...paint, fingers, brushes and a surface open to receive whatever you throw at it. The crack of the side walk are inviting me to take them in and let them settle in my spirit and grow there into inspritation and unconcious movements of paint as I work. Paterns in shadows cast by the trees and clouds that jump across the sky all call to me....look at us...bring us to into yourself and make us a part of you.

I think that is so beautiful.