Year in Review | Top 11 Posts of 2011

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Stella Im Hultberg

Stella Im Hultberg’s paintings are conceived in varying combinations of ink, watercolor, and oils on paper, wood and canvas. Portraying women in easy, flowing lines with soft hues, Stella’s portraits transcend the typical critiques of feminine beauty inherent in today’s self conscious society. As one of the artists participating in the ‘Femme Fatale’ show opening February

Morgan Slade

Exploring the symbolic shorthand of corporate logos and brand identities, Morgan Slade’s work tackles the issues of consumerism that permeates American culture. Using the female form to anchor his mixed-media pieces, Slade confronts the symbolism behind the seductive figure, her poses, and attire as interpreted by society. The result is a strong and empowering image that engages the

Sarah Folkman

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sarah Folkman’s work is based on her fascination with nature and intense confusion with humanity’s place within it. Using exotic woods as her canvas and infusing each painting with our symbiotic relationship with nature, Folkman fleshes out the female figure in the most captivating ways.

As one of the artists participating in the ‘Femme Fatale’ show opening February 25th, we had a chat with this unique artist. Here Sarah talks about her love for a sparrow, why she prefers to work with raw woods and her fascination with the female figure.

Paul Chatem

Deeply rooted in vintage advertising, comic books and animation, Paul Chatem’s work is a manifestation of the Southern California environment of his youth. Using wood as his canvas and infusing each piece with a socio-political narrative, Chatem’s kinetic blend of folk and modern illustration evokes feelings of nostalgia while simultaneously remaining utterly contemporary. With the simple turn of a crank, Chatem’s wood-gear work instantly springs to life thus engaging the viewer within his vivid, carefully painted scenes.

JoKa

Tongue-in-cheek humor is of the essence in the work of Philadelphia based artist JoKa. With themes of sex, violence, and beauty cleverly illustrated through pop culture imagery, JoKa’s twisted reality is an overwhelming delight not to be taken too seriously. Equally as mind-blowing is to learn that JoKa creates all his art with toothpicks, a technique he refers to as “hyperpointillism”.

Lily Mae Martin

Recently, I had the honor of interviewing the Berlin based artist for Hi-Fructose. Here Lily Mae Martin talks about the obstacles she overcame to become an artist, the painters who inspire her and the new outlook motherhood has given her.

Femme Fatale

On February 25th, Cella Gallery will present a group exibition curated by Nicole Bruckman & Stephanie Chefas entitled ‘Femme Fatale’. The show features some of the most powerful contemporary artists whose inherent aesthetic is heavily influenced by the beauty of the female figure. With over 35 innovative artists participating, ‘Femme Fatale’ explores how individual perceptions of feminine

Linnea Strid

Linnea Strid creates hyper-realistic oil paintings that often feature the incorporation of water as a central element of the work. Strid renders water in a way that confuses the onlooker as to whether or not the image they are looking at is a photograph or indeed a painting. These works feature all the characteristics of water, from how it moves and why it moves and where, and in turn her work truly moves all that view it.

Year in Review | Top 11 Posts of 2011

by Stephanie on January 1, 2012 · No Comments

JR on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA

Happy New Year everyone! 2011 was a whirlwind of a year with awesome artwork by amazingly talented artists. We saw street art’s rapid rise to popularity due to the controversial “Art in the Streets” exhibit at MOCA, witnessed a Pop-Surrealist Queen break barriers by showing at a ‘highbrow’ gallery, and gushed when one of the most prolific artists of our generation presented his first solo exhibit in Los Angeles. But enough about our memorable moments of the past year, we want to highlight the 2011 posts that fascinated our beloved readers. Take a look of the top 11 posts of the year as decided by you guys and while we have your attention, we’d like to thank you for all the love and support because this wouldn’t be possible without you! We hope you continue to enjoy all that Platinum Cheese and the art scene has to offer. See you in 2012!

and now the top 11 posts of 2011…

João Ruas

11. João Ruas @ Thinkspace

On November 5th, Thinkspace opened Yore, the second solo exhibit by Brazilian artist João Ruas which features his signature mythos paintings along with several pieces painted on ostrich eggs and a mural installation. Read the full write-up here.

Joshua Petker

10. Art Chat with Joshua Petker

Fascinated by the extent women go through to project a certain image to the world, Joshua Petker paints fashionable subjects who appear confident on the outside, yet near breaking point on the inside. In his exhibit titled, Celluloid Constellations, Joshua reinterprets the movie stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age in his dreamy yet haunting aesthetic. Read the full interview here.

9. Art Chat with Souther Salazar

Souther Salazar’s highly imaginative work reinterprets the world into a mythical place full of carnivals, lost cities, dinosaurs, and other fantastical creatures. In his exhibit titled You Come Too, Souther continues to share the joy and excitement of adventure through his unique sense of storytelling while referencing Robert Frost’s poem The Pasture. Read the entire interview here.

Cleon Peterson

8. Art Chat with Cleon Peterson

Known for his depictions of graphic violence and depravity, Cleon Peterson’s dystopian rips the lid off accepted social decorum to unleash aggression and other pent-up impulses. With his exhibit titled White Flag, Cleon continues upon his exploration of the tension between the conscious ego and and repressed ‘shadow’ thereby forcing us to decide where our sympathies lie. Read the full interview here.

Cristina Paulos

7. Interview with Cristina Paulos

Raised on a steady diet of classic animation, mall culture, and arcade games deep within the urbanized valley of Southern California, Cristina Paulos grew up with a compulsion to playfully communicate with the world around her. Read the entire interview here.

Laurie Lipton

6. The “F” List Interview with Laurie Lipton

Laurie Lipton and PC contributor Rick Galiher have a fabulously fun time with aliteration. Here Laurie talks about Fame, Fortune and her Fans. Read the full interview here.

David Bray

5. Interview with David Bray

When we heard London based artist David Bray was presenting his first exhibition in the U.S., we jumped at the chance to chat with this talented illustrator. Here David talks about the concept of his show, bondage and Helmut Newton. Read the entire interview here.

Camille Rose Garcia

4. Camille Rose Garcia at Michael Kohn Gallery (tie)

Depicting the beloved classic story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in her uniquely twisted and dysfunctional style, Camille Rose Garcia returns the fairytale to its rightful place as an unsettling children’s story perfect for adults. Read the entire write-up here.

Tim Biskup

4. Twin Peeks 20th Anniversary Art Show (tie)

David Lynch gets a big hug from Los Angeles and our readers as the legendary Clifton’s Cafeteria was transformed into a makeshift art gallery honoring Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Read the opening night recap here.

Korin Faught | photo by Adam Jones

3. Studio Visit with Korin Faught

Beautiful, elegant, and refined are just a few adjectives to describe Korin Faught’s artwork. In anticipation of her exhibit “Voices of the Lake” at Corey Helford, we visited Korin in her studio and many readers eagerly logged on to get a sneak peek. Read the entire visit here.

Herakut

2. Herakut Mural in Culver City

For the first time in the uber arts district of Culver City, the German street art duo known as Herakut got up to donate this incredible mural to the streets. View more images of the mural here.

James Jean

1. James Jean @ Martha Otero

With the awe-inspiring collection of large-scale works depicting romantic deities in a colorful decaying setting, we weren’t the only ones smitten by James Jean’s “Rebus”. An astounding number of fans clicked to view the lastest works by the beloved artist. Read the entire post and view images here.