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cove r : Anna Dittmann
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NEXT IS SUE ON SA LE M A RC H 2 017

www.beautifulbizarre.net
 TAB LE OF CO N TE N TS

F E AT U R E D A RT I S TS
9

04 Anna Dittmann

18 Yoko D’holbachie

32 Polina Washington

24 46 Rodrigo Luff

60 Miho Hirano

74 Elizabeth McGrath

88 Rebecca Leveille

102 Neil Craver

53
116 Hannah Yata

130 Soey Milk

O N T H E R I S E
106
142 Bella Harris
71
143 Lauretta Lizzio

144 Laura Parsons Oversat

145 Fay Helfer

146 Marie Larkin

147 Ewa Pronczuk-Kuziak

32
148 Kindra Nikole

149 Carly Janine Mazur

150 Lana Crooks

116
151 Carisa Swenson
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A N N A D I T T M A N
A PE RS ON N E E D S N E W E X PE RI E NCE S. THE Y JA R SOME THI NG DE E P
IN S IDE , A L L OW I NG YOU T O G ROW. WI THOUT THE M, I T SL E E PS SE L DOM
T O AWA KE N. T H E S L E E PE R MUST AWA KE N.” FRANK HERBERT
The air is crisp today. The Haar is rolling in off the
North Sea, kissing the lush rolling hills and their
bared rocky crags with the wispy lips of fog, first
gently and then all at once; the world seems to
glow with health, despite the churning pewter sky.
As the mists begin to settle in the green blanketed
valleys of the Pentlands, distant hilltops swirl and
waver until swallowed whole, folded gently into the
palms of the great grey beast slowly inching across
the horizon. Welcome to Edinburgh, Scotland, the
idyllic home of painter Anna Dittmann.
Just as the fog spills across the Scottish landscape,
elements of nature are interwoven into nearly
all of Anna’s portraits. Her digital paintings are a
fusion of human flesh and other organic matter;
from tentacles to scales to horns, the inclusion
of these natural elements surpasses simple
adornment - they are a very part of the beings’
anatomy. For Anna, abstract natural forms and
patterns are a perfect complement to the human
figure. The result is otherworldly, women who
exist in fantastical realms with rules far different
than our own. Yet despite their foreign appearance,
the world they exist in runs parallel to ours; they
represent the relationship with nature we strive for,
a complete symbiosis, a perfect balance. They hint
at a relationship long lost, an ancient beauty with
which humanity is slowly losing touch.
“Capturing emotions and crafting a story through
expression is what I aim for,” she explains. “I hope
the viewer feels captivated and engages with the
portrait, inspiring curiosity and a sense of intrigue.”
As a child she can remember gazing fondly at the
iridescent beetles in her father’s insect collection,
their shells glistening like oil in the light. Anna
draws nearly all her inspiration from the world
around her, particularly color palettes; thus was the
allure of Scotland, where stark beauty thrives just
outside her window.
“I just hope my art can bring just a little beauty and
warmth to someone’s world.”
Despite their traditional appearance, the vast
majority of Anna’s portraits are digitally created
www. a n n a dit t m a n n . c om | Wor d s : Dyl a n Br ya nt
6 | beautiful.biz a rre
in Adobe Photoshop. She allows for the “happy
accidents” that artists religiously pursue (and are
often associated with classic mediums rather than
digital) by working quickly in the initial phases of a
piece, allowing her reflexive strokes to inform the
rest of the painting.
When asked about her success, she heart-
warmingly attributes much of it to her online
supporters. “To be honest, if I hadn’t been so
encouraged by the online art community, I may
have produced much less work. I was fuelled by
the sheer positivity of considerate strangers, and
I owe most of my growth to their kindness.” The
true medal of honor, however, goes to her father.
Not only was he “constantly refuelling sketchbooks
and pens”, he inspired Anna “to stay motivated in
art and live as positively as possible.” His success
may be most evident in her definition of beauty:
“Beauty is selflessness and altruism. Beauty is
anything that makes me pause in wonder.”
Anna Dittmann aspires to travel, to see the
world. Ever expanding her horizons, every new
experience will be material from which to draw,
and inspiration to inform her work. As her story
unfolds so will we see a new chronicle in her art.
She is currently freelancing, but imagines a future
in which she can sustain herself from her personal
work. One of her more recent personal projects
involved creating a painted calendar, basing the
content on the symbolism she associates with
each month. In the future she hopes to further
explore this in depth in other series.
Anna will likely continue to seek out new
experiences with nature, to continuously rekindle
and nurture her own personal relationship
with the natural world. We can only hope that
these experiences manifest themselves as more
paintings. And eventually, the sleeper will awaken.
“I am a daydreamer, who once had hopes of
exploring the stars. While those childhood
ambitions never did pan out, I still look upwards
and often get lost in the distraction of my
imagination.”
Sc ale, 20 13
Dig ital

p revio u s p a g e :
Nove m b e r, 2 0 1 3
Dig ital
22 | beautiful.bi za rre
opposite page:
Adorn, 2014
Digital

Aerial, 2013
Digital

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 9
 Bloom, 2014
Digital

Bramble, 2015 Censor, 2015

Digital Digital

10 | beautiful.bi za rre
b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 11
Ink, 2014
Digital

op p p o s it e p a g e , t o p :
April, 20 14
D ig ital

o p p o s it e p a g e , b o tt o m :
B o lt , 2014
26 |
D ig ital
beautiful.biza rre
b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 13
 opposite page:
Petal, 2014
Digital

Vine, 2014
Digital

14 | beautiful.bi za rre
b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 29
ivana flores

@ivanaflores.art /ivanaflores.art

www.ivanaflores.com
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Y O K O D ’ H O L B A C H I E
“ N E V E R, E V E R U N DE RE S T I M ATE THE I MPORTA NCE OF HAV I NG F UN.”
RANDY PAUSCH
At once cute and strange, and perhaps
mischievous and a little dangerous, Yoko
d’Holbachie’s painted creatures are impossible
to ignore. Without a hint of self-consciousness,
they are always ready to gaze back at you. As
you are taking a closer look at their multicolored
features, seemingly embossed skin, and ornate
fineries, they would challenge you to a staring
contest. In the back of our minds, we can sense
that - at the slightest hint of an invitation - they
would jump out of their portals and reach us.
The question is: Are we ready for them?
According to Yoko d’Holbachie, the striking
creatures in her paintings have been living inside
of her head ever since she was a young child;
and once she’d learned the fundamentals of
drawing, she started to bring them into existence
one picture at a time. And now, with her current
drawing and painting skills, she makes it possible
for hundreds of these creatures to migrate from
the imaginary realm into corporeal existence.
In a way, every artwork is a self-portrait of its
creator. To discover an artist’s true self, we only
need to take a closer look at the artist’s works.
Even at a fleeting glance, no one can miss the
vibrant whimsical joy and playful liveliness that
emanate from Yoko d’Holbachie’s paintings.
Without a doubt, these works can only come
from a spirited, childlike, and fun-loving artist.
By her own admittance, childlikeness is the
essence of her works. It is something she aims
to maintain by continuing to do the things she
loves to do.
Childlikeness, however, is not the same as
childishness; Yoko d’Holbachie’s work is not
entirely fun and playfulness. She creates her
work methodically almost every day, starting
from 3 am until noon, without stopping and
without eating. Each one of her paintings is
meticulously planned. She starts her work by
creating a sketch which she fine-tunes until
she feels completely satisfied with the way it
looks. Then, she transfers the sketch onto a
www. dh olb a ch ie . c om | Wor d s : M iu Ve r m ill ion
20 | beautiful.bi za rre
coated panel using carbon paper. Afterwards,
she paints the piece layer by layer, with the
addition of more and more and details. Upon
close scrutiny, the number of layers she paints
in order to create her signature vibrant and well-
blended multicolored works becomes even more
apparent.
Nevertheless, because painting peculiar
creatures is one of the sources of her happiness,
she doesn’t consider her workload a hardship.
While listening to recorded Rakugo (traditional
Japanese comedic stories that were written
several hundred years ago) and sipping a litre
of smoothie or non-caffeinated soy latte, she
improves her painting skills while enjoying the
things she loves on a regular basis.
What many people do not know about the artist
is that she is a mother of a young child; and
when she is not painting, doing housework, or
having a great time with her child at the zoo,
amusement park, or ocean-side playground,
she teaches figure drawing and character
design to first year students at an art school in
Tokyo. When asked for advice on how to create
fascinating artworks in the pop surrealism genre,
she emphasizes the importance of immersing
one’s self in one’s dream world; and if your
imagination is too abstract, she recommends
translating your imagination – little by little
– into gradually more concrete and easier to
fathom forms.
At the moment, Yoko d’Holbachie is working
on numerous artworks for her seven upcoming
exhibitions in 2017 including: Sensory Overload
Group Show at Corey Helford Gallery, Los
Angeles in January 2017; Wings of Lore at Alexi
Era Gallery, Eugene, Oregon in March; a mini
solo exhibition at Copro Gallery, Santa Monica
in June; the beautiful.bizarre curated group
exhibition Heart’s Blood at Haven Gallery,
Northport, New York in September; and Hide
and Seek at Waswal Gallery, Tamworth, NSW,
Australia in December.
Ba ku (D re am E ate r and G ir l ) , 2 0 1 5
Acr yl ic on co at ed p a n e l , 1 4 ” x 1 8”

p rev i o u s p a ge :
Vir g in an d B e ast , 2 0 1 4
Acryl ic on co at ed p a n e l , 1 6 ” x 1 2 ”
 t op:
Fate in the Tail, 2 01 4
Ac r y l ic on c oate d b oa rd , 1 4 ” x 1 1 ”

bo tt om:
Pandora’s Hope, 2 01 5
Ac r y l ic on c oate d b oa rd , 18” x 1 4”

o p p o sit e page:
Ve nus, 2 01 4
Ac r y l ic on c oate d b oa rd , 9” x 1 2 ”

22 | beautiful.bi za rre
b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 23
 72 |
NAKED HORSE, 2016
beautiful.bi za rre
Acrylic on coated panel, 12” x 16”
 top lef t : t o p r ig ht :
Naught y Hear t, 20 11 Se e d s (Hainuwe le ) , 20 12
Acry lic on coat ed panel, 10 ” x 16 ” Acr yl ic on co at ed p an el , 16 ” x 21”

bo t t o m le f t : bo t t o m r ig ht :
Goddess Ba s t, 20 12 Th e Wor ld Tur nin g , 20 12
Acry lic on coat ed panel, 13 ” x 18 ” Acr yl ic on co at ed p an el , 21” x 29 ”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 25
26 | beautiful.bi za rre
op p o s i t e pa g e :
Judit h , 2 015
Ac r yl ic on c oate d pa n e l, 14” x 1 8”

Happy World 2, ( With Smile), 2 01 2

Ac r yl ic on c oate d pa n e l, 18” x 2 4”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 75
 t o p le f t : t o p r ig ht :
Ay ida Weddo , 20 12 Moth e r Unive r s e , 20 16
Acry lic on coat ed panel, 1 5” x 1 8 ” x 0 .8 ” Acr yl ic on co at ed p an el , 14” x 18 ”

bo t t o m l e f t : bo t t o m r i g ht :
The Beginning and t he En d , 20 16 Tre e of Life , 20 16
Acry lic on coat ed panel, 16 ” x 20 ” Acr yl ic on co at ed bo ard, 14” x 11”

28 | beautiful.bi za rre
 Stillness, 2015
Acrylic on coated panel, 12” x 16”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 29
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P O L I N A W A S H I N G T O N
“ T H E B E AU T Y OF A WOM A N MUST BE SE E N F ROM I N HE R E YE S,
BEC AU S E T H AT I S T H E D O ORWAY TO HE R HE A RT, THE PL ACE WHE RE
L OV E RE SI DE S.”
Breaking the mould of ‘documenter’ is a
challenge that many photographers face.
But a greater challenge still is the sometimes
arduous, life-long task of loving yourself
– for herein lies true strength and beauty.
P o l i n a Wa s h i n g t o n u n d e r s t a n d s t h i s
personally, crafting mysterious, gothic realms
through her unique approach to analogue
photography. Although she fell into the art
quite unexpectedly – stumbling upon some art
shots online – she says she’s always yearned to
create something special that was connected
to her personality; to express her feelings, her
vision, her emotions through imagery.
“But it wasn’t so easy,” Polina explains. “Using
regular plots, techniques and instruments
couldn’t help me to go deeper into my nature.
I had to find something new to me, where
I could truly feel myself inexperienced as a
child, because my knowledge in photography
with all these rules I’d learned in a University
made me numb. So I started working with
colour film and the multi exposure method.
I’d been learning to accept colours and to
work with them for a long time, and double
exposure was a huge field for experiments.
It was like starting photography from the
beginning. And all this helped me to break my
visual borders and let something new appear
in my shots.”
M a ny o f h e r o t h e r w o r l d l y s c e n e s b l e e d
into one another, giving one a sense of
unravelling from the inside out and opening
up to the natural world. Polina uses woodsy,
natural landscapes to create an atmosphere
and a ‘colour harmony’ in her compositions.
“I didn’t want to capture reality as I saw it. I
wanted to transform it. The documentary
side of photography wasn’t interesting for
me from that moment. That’s how those
dreamscapes were born. I also didn’t plan
to make it in this way, but the mix of my
interests, my surroundings and mood created
those dark visions I’ve been shooting for
several years.”
www. pol i n awa sh i n gton . c om | Wor d s : K i m C row ie
34 | beautiful.bi za rre
AUDREY HEPBURN
The artist, or visual explorer as she likes to
call herself, is often the subject of her own
experiments with light and colour. Self-
portraits are an important part of her life and
her work, and began as a sort of ‘personal
visual diary’. “It was easy and comfortable
to work with myself. I didn’t have to explain
something, and didn’t have to hurry up. I had
as much time and attempts as I needed…I
was sure I wasn’t born pretty and had lots of
difficulties with accepting my appearance,
but those regular shootings helped me to
change my mind. It gave me confidence
relating to people and in everything I did. As
I’d been exploring my personality through the
self-portraits, it also did well in developing
my vision. Understanding my true nature,
I was able to use this knowledge in regular
shootings. So everything was connected.” As
she discovered and became sure of her own
beauty, others around her discovered it too.
The melancholic atmosphere of St. Petersburg,
coupled with her studies as a director of
photography, helped influence and motivate
her. These days, she paints the colours in her
life and the process is never the same. Initially
she will go out in search of an impression. “I
love walking long distances, it’s refreshing.
But I can even shoot without leaving my
place – if there’s an interesting light or my
mood is very creative I can figure out to shoot
something in my room. But your emotional
condition really matters. Sometimes I just feel
my creativity rise up… I take one image instead
of hundreds and prefer to wait and explore. So
the shooting is really slow – no rush. I need
time to feel something. As a cameraman you
always spend a lot of time to create the ideal
frame. I see it changed my understanding of
the photography process.”
Polina is currently working on an abstract
photography project called Bloom, the results
of which are always a surprise to her. She
also uses Etsy to sell her prints, and is an avid
social media sharer.
 p rev i o u s p a ge :
A Bir th of a Fe e li n g , 2 0 1 6
So aked 3 5 m m co lo u r n egat ive f il m , do u b l e
ex p o s ure, 4 0 c m x 6 0 c m

Sp ar k of L ig ht , 2 0 1 4
So aked 3 5 m m co lo u r n egat ive f il m , do u b l e
ex p o s ure, 4 0 c m x 6 0 c m
 Mercy of Pro tection, 2015
So aked 3 5 m m co lo ur n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 c m x 6 0 c m

36 | beautiful.bi za rre
Mate ria Prima, 2014
S o ake d 35 m m c olour n egative film, double exposure, 4 0cm x 6 0 cm

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 37
 A Grief, 2016
So aked 3 5 m m co lo ur n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 cm x 6 0 cm

Self, 2016
So aked 3 5 m m co lo ur n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 cm x 6 0 cm

38 | beautiful.bi za rre
 Farewell Sweet Earth, 2014
So aked 3 5 m m co lo u r n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 c m x 6 0 c m

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 39
 The Hidden One, 2013
So aked 3 5 m m co lo u r n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 cm x 6 0 c m

40 | beautiful.bi za rre
Moss Bride, 2014
Soa ke d 35 m m colour negat ive film, double exposure, 40 cm x 6 0 cm

Fern, 2015
Soa ke d 35 m m colour negative film, double exposure, 40 cm x 6 0 cm

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 41
Black Fang, 2012
S o ake d 35 m m c olour n egative film, double exposure, 30cm x 40 cm

42 | beautiful.bi za rre
 The Conversation, 2016
So aked 3 5 m m co lo u r n egat ive f il m , do ubl e ex p o s u re, 40 c m x 6 0 c m

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 43
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R O D R I G O
“ O S Y LVA N W Y E ! T HOU WA N DE RE R THRO’ THE WOODS, HOW OF TE N
H A S MY S PI RI T T U RN E D TO THE E !”
Picture the most peaceful woodland setting you
have ever experienced in your mind, then put
there the figure of a woman, at ease with her
surrounds, peacefully at one with nature. Can
you see it in your mind’s eye? This is just the
starting point of the work of Australian painter
Rodrigo Luff. From here he adds a luminescence
that is at once startling in its glow, a limpid
aurora caressing the figures it envelops, but
also so right, as if the very essence of nature
has become visible to our eyes, protecting its
children in a shroud of the force of life.
The life-force of nature also imbues the surreal
elements that Rod introduces to his work, certain
recurring symbolic beings who act as not only
the protectors of nature but also as the ideal of
humanity’s interactions with the natural world.
If only we would listen to nature, attempt to live
within that world rather than imposing our own
order on it, or as is often the case, obliterating it
completely.
“The owls are totemic in my work, they have an
ethereal presence that is captivating and they’re
capable of such a wide range of expression that I
don’t think I can ever paint them enough. I think
they evoke that eerie sensation that artist Paul
Klee noticed, “In a forest I have felt on certain
days that the trees were looking at me”. The owls
are emblematic of mysterious and chaotic forces
in nature that we can engage with to some
extent, but never fully understand or escape.
The Sun Face embodies this at the most basic level
as an abstract form of glowing awareness. The
luminous, sensual energy that infuses the creature
refers to the experience of “transversal ecstasis”,
losing oneself to the world in euphoria, reverie and
fascination. The tentacle appendages are symbolic
of the tactility of light and its ubiquitous presence
in daily life, from technological devices or natural
forms, which can either embrace or bind us.”
Born in El Salvador, Rod moved to Australia
with his family early in his life, where on leaving
www. rodlu f f . c om | Wor d s : Ric h a r d P u r s s e y
48 | beautiful.bi za rre
L U F F
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
school he studied traditional life drawing and
painting at the Julian Ashton Art School in
Sydney. When at high school Rod saw his
future as a comic artist or illustrator, and despite
changing his career goals to traditional painting
Rod has continued to be influenced by the
magical and imaginative elements of those
earlier forms. His admiration of the works of
JW Waterhouse, Dali, NC Wyeth, John Millais,
Mucha, Klimt, James Jean, and the films of
Miyazaki, Luis Ricardo Falero, Jules Bastien-
Lepage and Herbert Draper have contributed to
the unique style he calls his own.
That style does not come easily, Rod’s technique
is painstaking and highly detailed, and each
piece he produces, using methods honed
through years of trial and error, is weeks in
the creation. For Rod often the hardest part is
to know when to step away, to call the piece
complete. Even then he will move on to other
tasks, only to revisit the piece after a time,
satisfying himself that it is indeed finished.
“Considering that attention to detail, it’s difficult
to step away! But lately I have been forcing
myself to stop once additional brush strokes
fail to improve the overall effect. At that point I
usually hide it away to work on something else
and come back to it later with a fresh eye, but it’s
taken me years to learn that.”
Considering the process that he uses it is
astounding that Rod manages to be as prolific
as he is, having participated in numerous group
shows and holding solo exhibitions in the US,
Europe, and Australia. Coming up for Rod is a work
for Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, to be shown
at SCOPE Art Fair during Art Basel Week in Miami.
There’s also the next instalment of the Moleskine
Project, which Rod co-founded, coming to Spoke
Art, San Francisco in July 2017, as well as the 2nd
volume of the published Moleskine Project. He will
also be continuing to participate in group shows
as well as preparing for a solo exhibition with
Thinkspace Gallery in the next few years.
 Ne m e t on a, 2 0 1 5
O il p aint in g on birch p a n e l , 1 8” x 1 4 ”

p rev i o u s p a ge :
Radi at or , 2 0 1 3
Pen cil , co lo u red p en cil , p as te l , i r i de sc e nt
m edia an d acryl ic wa sh , 2 1 ” x 1 1 ”
130 | beautiful.b i za rre
o p p o s it e pa g e :
Sym b ios i s , 20 1 6
Oil on pape r, 9” x 1 2 ”

Saw W he t Tri ad, 2 01 6

Oil on plywood panel, 6” x 6”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 51
52 | beautiful.bi za rre
 o p p o s it e page, t op:
Embrace, 2 01 6
Oil on p aper, 8” x 1 0”

o p p o sit e page, bo tt om:

Plasma II, 2 01 6
Oil on b irc h panel, 1 2 ” x 1 2 ”

Solit ude, 2 01 6
Oil on plywood panel, 9” x 1 2 ”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 53
 o ppo s i t e pag e :
Se ntr y, 201 3
Pen cil , p as t el , irides cent m edia, co lo u re d
p en cil , acryl ic an d oil p aint , 11” x 16 . 5”

D ay bre a k, 20 1 5
O il on p ap er , 10 ” x 1 0 ”

54 | beautiful.bi za rre
b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 135
56 | beautiful.bi za rre
 Nemeta, 2016 Cascade, 2016
Oil on plywood, 16” x 28” Oil on paper, 11” x 14”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 57
 QAPA
Queer Art Prize Australia

Media Partners
$5000 non-acquisitive art prize and exhibition
to celebrate LGBTIQ art in Australia

ENTRIES CLOSE 11 DECEMBER 2016

www.queerartprize.com.au

Chapel off Chapel (Prahran Victoria)

13 January to 5 February 2017 Australian Arts Review

Queer Art Prize Australia is a not-for-profit initiative run by Australian Pride Network (ABN: 52 551 990 041) australianpridenetwork.com.au
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M I H O
“THE COOL WIND BLEW IN MY FACE AND ALL AT ONCE I FELT AS IF I HAD SHED
DULLNESS FROM MYSELF. BEFORE ME LAY A LONG GRAY LINE WITH A BLACK MARK
DOWN THE CENTER. THE BIRDS WERE SINGING. IT WAS SPRING.” BURL IVESCHEKHOV
To view Miho Hirano’s painting is to be immersed
in beauty and serenity. Each canvas is like a portal
to an alternate realm where people are enveloped
by the tender and nurturing embrace of perpetual
spring. If we look at each painting long enough,
we can feel a slight chill on the back of our upper
spine. Although we shiver, we know we are inside
a safe haven. The tranquil smiles of the women in
the paintings give us all of the assurances we need.
Buoyed by the soft wind that never ceases to
deliver new beginnings, and by the gentle stream
of water that continually purifies and sustains
them, the women in Miho Hirano’s paintings
are preserved in their pristine ethereal state for
eternity. It’s not because they are too fragile to face
the world, but because nature loves them so much
they are not willing to part with their unsullied
loveliness.
Just like the women she paints, there is a quiet
strength at the core of Miho Hirano’s soul. Upon
facing harsh critiques at the early stage of her
career, she let the painful memories wash over her
and let their impact propel her to become a better
artist.
It’s hard to believe that Miho started her career
as a professional artist less than a decade ago.
She learned oil painting at her high school’s art
club. Afterwards, she continued her studies at the
prestigious Musashino Art University in Tokyo
where she learned that the ability to express
one’s internal thoughts and emotions through
one’s works is more important than technical
virtuosity. Her ability to imbue her paintings with
vivid emotions is the source of gravity that draws
people to pay closer attention to her works, and
the alchemical element that turns the characters
she paints into benign sirens who entice us to stay
many minutes longer.
Unlike the dangerous and hostile sirens in Greek
mythology, Miho’s sirens merely invite us to rest
our weary souls for a little while. Their feminine
bashfulness and gentle smiles mask no malice.
www. m i h oh i ra n o. st ri k i n gly. c om | Wor d s : M iu Ve r m ill ion
62 | beautiful.bi za rre
H I R A N O
Thoroughly innocent and unsullied, though many
of them are nude or covered with nothing more
than water-soaked white gowns, they are not self-
conscious about their state of undress. In their
Eden, they are safe and loved; and they absorb the
beauty, gentleness, and peacefulness from their
surroundings and pass them onto us.
Deeply inspired by John Everett Millais’ Ophelia,
depicted as a lovely figure floating on water
amidst beautiful flowers in a natural landscape
moments before she drowned, Miho often
portrays the characters she paints in a similar
ambience. Instead of looking at Ophelia as a
tragic figure, Miho focuses on the beauty of the
water that purifies Ophelia’s entire being. In that
river, Ophelia is not a drowning broken-hearted
woman who had lost her sanity. Not anymore.
Nature has welcomed her into its embrace and
washed away all of her pain and impurity. At that
very moment, nature transfigures Ophelia into a
legend. Likewise, nature transforms Miho Hirano’s
characters into mythical beings, albeit of more
tranquil varieties.
Even so, it doesn’t mean that these women are not
going to lash out when provoked. Along with the
gentle and nurturing qualities they absorb from
nature comes the roiling and self-preserving force
that sustains and protects them. Hurt them, and
they swiftly strike back at you; and nature – with
the full force of her possessive affection towards
them – is going to hurl you out from that paradise.
Miho paints almost every day until around
midnight, and is currently working on numerous
pieces for her next solo exhibition at Corey Helford
Gallery, Los Angeles in December 2017. She is also
in the process of creating a brand new painting
for the beautiful.bizarre curated group exhibition
Heart’s Blood at Haven Gallery, Northport, New
York in September 2017.
“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature
resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to
revive also.” - Harriet Ann Jacobs
 Bre ath （ 息 吹 ) , 2 0 1 5
O il on canv as , 2 0 . 8” x 1 7 . 9 ”

prev i o u s p a ge :
Twin klin g Win d ( 瞬 く 風 ) , 2 0 1 4
O il on canv as , 3 5. 8” x 4 5. 9 ”
 Affection（自慈), 2015
Oil on canvas, 14.9” x 17.9”

62 | beautiful.bi za rre
She goes of the flow (移ろうままに), 2015
Oil on canvas, 12.5” × 16.1”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 63
36 | beautiful.bi za rre
opposite page:
Loop, 2016
Oil on canvas, 21” × 25.5”

Spring whistle（春の口笛), 2015

Oil on canvas, 10.7” × 17.9”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 65
Ouka (謳歌), 2012
Oil on canvas, 20.8” x 31.6”

38 | beautiful.bi za rre
b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 39
 Temptation ～ Magnolia ～(誘惑～木蓮～), 2014 - 2016
Oil on canvas, 21” x 21”

70 | beautiful.bi za rre
The Feast ～ Hydrangea ～（うたげ～紫陽花～), 2014 The Feast ～ Morning Glory ～（うたげ～朝顔～), 2014
Oil on canvas, 32.2” x 12.5” Oil on canvas, 32.2” x 12.5”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 71
Elizabeth mcGrath
EXCLUSIVE
CONTENT
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E L I Z A B E T H
“ NO A RT I S PO S S I B L E W I T HOUT A DA NCE WI TH DE ATH.”
Hollywood-born mixed media artist and sculptor
Elizabeth McGrath has absorbed a frightening
amount of humanity in her time, having lived
and worked in the Skid Row area of downtown
Los Angeles for the past twenty years. As the
daughter of a disaster manager for the L.A.
County morgue, a rebellious teenage Liz could be
found helping Dad tie toe tags onto the deceased
(as court-ordered community service she earned
for her antics). Not only has she seen her share
of corpses, Liz has experienced the plight of the
less-fortunate firsthand: “My heart breaks for
the homeless people of L.A. who walk around
terrified of their environment, disheveled, dirty
and crazed.”
At thirteen, Liz spent two years at a Baptist reform
school for girls, where her religious parents
hoped she’d depart from her interest in punk
rock culture. Instead, she learned to dissociate
from the school’s severe forms of discipline
(which included locking Liz in a closet for three
months) and mentally travel to imaginary worlds:
“Through my experiences there, I live mostly in
detailed day dreams. The times I feel I am truly
present are when I am creating these things that I
imagine.” A few years later Liz was back into punk,
performing as the lead singer in the 90s band
Tongue, and later with her husband in their band
Miss Derringer.
So how does Liz convey this fearlessness of
spirit - this grit - in her art? By making creatures
that are “inspired by the relationship between
the natural world and the detritus of consumer
culture.” Creatures and worlds that are heavily
influenced by her childhood visits to the
wondrous and dark Tiger Balm theme park in
her mother’s Singapore, and the style of “visual
masterminds” like Tim Burton and Stanley
Kubrick.
Similar to the way in which carnivals influenced
a young Ray Bradbury, the Tiger Balm theme
park - which features anthropomorphic animals
similar to Liz’s, and a man-made dark cave filled
with illuminated dioramas – was internalized
by the artist, who now uses those memories of
childhood horror and enchantment to “preserve
www. e l i za b e t h m cgrat h . c om | Wor d s : Je n n i fe r Su s a n Jon e s
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M C G R A T H
KURT VONNEGUT JR
her sanity by escaping reality and creating
distracting new worlds she has control over.”
Liz, who has produced two, full-length
monographs containing images of her work,
attended Pasadena City College for fashion design
in the 80s and later took various art classes there.
“My painting teacher,” she stated, “wanted me to
explore a variety of mediums which really inspired
me to experiment. My first paintings weren’t as
successful as my dioramas, and though I loved
painting, I pursued more of the 3D mediums.”
Liz’s 3D ventures begin as armatures formed from
a combination of wood, wire, and Styrofoam.
Next, a two-part resin epoxy clay like Magic
Sculp is applied over the armature. The piece
is then sanded, airbrushed, and often covered
with clothing, fur, and glittering jewels, until
an intricate, dapper creature (a wonderment
conceived in the fever-dreams of a chic
zookeeper) is born.
But McGrath doesn’t stop here. What makes her
sculptures ultra-unique, ultra-enchanting, are the
holes she carves into her animals, wherein tiny
worlds - illustrating the “gut emotions” existing
behind false serenity – tell minute, powerful stories.
In the green stages of development, McGrath
visits libraries and coffee shops where she
produces preliminary sketches. Once building,
she’ll listen to music sung in a language she
doesn’t understand so she stays focused on the
task. She also listens to audio books - the longer
the better - as her work is time-consuming and
repetitive. “A good story,” she says, “keeps me
anchored and helps me to finish.” Currently, Liz
is producing work for her upcoming exhibits
at Corey Helford Gallery in L.A. in late 2016, and
BeinArt Gallery in Melbourne on August 26, 2017.
So the next time you’re strolling through a
beautiful cemetery, imagine a rendezvous in
which Liz’s creatures - crouching, glittering, and
snarling – have come to meet you. It’s a thrill
not unlike a love affair with an exotic ghost;
suspenseful, euphoric, and forbidden.
 Th e Ey e s of O p h e li a, 2 0 1 2
Mixed m edia, re si n e pox y a n d
24k go l d l eaf , 1 8” x 1 6 ” x 1 2 ”

p rev i o u s p a ge :
Th e Entan g le m e nt , 2 0 0 9
Mixed m edia, re si n e pox y a n d
24k go l d l e a f , 54 ” x 53 ”
 top lef t : t o p r ig ht :
Dandy Lion , 20 0 8 Blue, 20 0 6
Mixed medi a, resi n epoxy and wood, 1 5” x 15 ” x 4” Mixed m edia, res in ep ox y, wo o d an d f au x l eat h er, 18 ” x 29 ”

bo t t o m le f t : bo t t o m r i g ht :
Polar Wonder W here , 20 0 7 Lion e s s , 20 0 8
Mi xed medi a, 2 0” x 28 ” x 16 ” Mixed m edia, res in ep ox y, wo o d, 14” x 14” x 3 ”

78 | beautiful.bi za rre
 Cerebus, 2012
Mixed media, 24k gold leaf and Swarovski crystals, 16” x 15” x 15”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 79
 The White
Green 2014
Lady, 2016
Goddess,
Mixed media, resin epoxy andon
Acrylic 24k gold20”
panel, leafx and
30”
Swarovski crystals, 20” x 10” x 10”

84 | beautiful.biza rre
le f t :
Savoy, 20 07
Mixe d me dia , re si n epoxy, 4 4” x 2 2 ” x 2 2 ”

t o p , r ig h t :
The D i k D i k , 2009
Mixe d me dia , 24” x 33” x 9”

b o tt o m , r ig h t :
Blue B unny Spe cial, 2 007
Mixe d me dia , 17 ” x 9” x 9”

b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 81
82 | beautiful.bi za rre
T h e Folly of St Hub e rus, 2 01 2
M i xe d me dia , re sin e poxy, 2 4k gold leaf
an d Sw a rovski c rystals , 2 4” x 1 5” x 2 4”

op p o sit e pa g e :
Lil Loc o & Mue rte , 20 08
M i xe d me dia , 6” x 9” x 4” b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 87
 lef t :
Th e Hun g e r, 2 0 1 2
Mixed m edia, 1 7 ” x 9 ” x 9 ”

r i gh t :
Lor d C r an e , 2 0 1 0
Mixed m edia, am et hys t cr ys t al s , 2 3 ” x 1 1 ” x 9 ”

84 | beautiful.biza rre
 The Royal Weasles, 2006
Mixed media, resin epoxy and polymer clay, 13” x 6” x 6”

b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 87
 Mann | Gandy | Wilson

Three Person Exhibition

Greg Gandy • Looking Down Post Street Towards Downtown • 18 x 18 • Oil

Jeremy Mann • Note In Pale Green No. 7 • 14 x 11 • Oil

December 9, 2016 - January 7, 2017

Opening Reception:
Friday, December 9, 6-9 pm

Timothy P. Wilson • Dusty Mirror (Sketch) • 20 x 20 • Oil

1261 Delaware | Denver, CO 80204 | 303.571.1261 | 888-626-1261 | gallery1261.com

EXCLUSIVE
CONTENT
Click Here!
R E B E C C A
“A L L A RT I S E ROTIC.”
A flourish of sultry pink roses and sun-kissed
gold leaves fill the eye. A man caresses a
woman, and fervent, playful desire plays upon
their faces. This is the romantic and bold work
of Rebecca Leveille. Born to be an artist, her
mother had attended Mass Art in Boston and
fully fostered Rebecca’s creative inclinations.
The constructive criticism and benevolent
praise of her mother was plentiful. “She always
said that I could be an artist but that it would
just take a great deal of work and commitment.”
Like many artists Rebecca evolved stylistically
and conceptually, but her well of inspiration
is vast. She gives a nod to comic book
illustrators, “I soaked in huge amounts of
f i g u re i n fo r m a t i o n t h ro u g h o b s e s s i v e l y
copying people like John Byrne and Paul
Smith.” Looking at Rebecca’s work one can
immediately discern a beautiful attention to
anatomy, while the vivid line work of graphic
novels and comics is also apparent. Black lines
curve around each figure in a breathtaking
flow. Rebecca also gleaned an illustrative
romanticism from N.C. Wyeth, “...we had an old
copy of Rip Van Winkle that I adored.”
Rebecca attended Pratt Institute for illustration
because the painting program lacked any focus
on the figurative but, after graduating, moved
smoothly into a successful illustration career.
Though illustration was her first serious in-
depth artistic exploration, Rebecca became
unfulfilled. “I no longer wanted to create
images that were attached to marketing or
product. It became too hard as an artist to
squeeze myself into someone else’s narratives
and characters.” Rebecca set out to create a
gallery-ready portfolio and fully devoted herself
to the new venture.
While Rebecca’s work is almost hypnotically
alluring through color and form, there is also
a plethora of complex concepts that support
her artistic output. “I feel like I’m always
pushing into what I want to say, every day that
I go into the studio, digging further into the
emotions that are not always pleasant or pretty
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L E V E I L L E
GUSTAVE KLIMT
or romantic.” Questions about the nature of
beauty, the male gaze, societal expectations,
are all explored to produce Rebecca’s paintings.
Her work is deeply personal, and acts as a way
for her to explicate her philosophies on the
monumental subject of life. Rebecca counts
her own experiences as inspiration, “I’m giving
the viewer a piece of the dialogue that is in my
heart, sharing my conflict, sharing my duality
as it relates to ideals.”
Re b e c c a i s a b e a c o n o f p o s i t i v i t y a n d
objectivity. Her advice for young artists striving
for success is to be absolutely loving, and
the end product she creates is imbued with
authenticity. Rebecca asserts, “try not to work
for approval, but try to make something that
feels entirely true to you. I think this is a very
hard thing to do. I struggle with it all the time.”
As a woman within the artworld she feels the
incredible opportunity to be a model of bravery
through her work and approach. She strives,
“to be brave enough to not shy away from the
imagery, and to find a nuanced and evocative
way to bring across what I want to say.”
Evocative is a choice word for Rebecca’s work
which simmers with fluid sensuality. Each
canvas is alive with a captured moment in
time, like a quick intake of breath during an
awe-inspiring moment. Pastels and bright
colors come together to harmoniously
celebrate the female perception. Her portrayal
of the female form often serves as an antithesis,
a mirror image, to the countless depictions of
female nudes from the male perspective that
one can find in the annals of art history.
Rebecca’s depth and perceptive intuition
permeates the paint and brings to life a vision
of utopian power play. Currently working
on her next solo show for Site:Brooklyn,
partnering with R.Michelson Galleries, she
notes that the new work will be “expanding
on the soulful beauty of an unexpected face,
person, or moment.” Swirls of oil paint will
dance in celebration of the divine transience
of reality.
 W h at Lie s B e n e at h , 2 0 1 6
O il on canv as w it h go l d l e a f , 2 0 ” x 3 0 ”

prev i o u s p a ge :
Sava g e G ar de n , 2 0 1 6
O il on canva s, 3 0 ” x 4 8”
92 | beautiful.bi za rre
Red Sugar, 2015
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 48” x 60”

opposite page:
Iriza D’ Orsay, 2016
Oil on canvas, 48” x 30”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 93
 top:
The Acrobat, 2016
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 30” x 48”

bottom:
Monsters, 2016
Oil on canvas, 48” x 60”

94 | beautiful.biza rre
M ae na ds , 20 16
Oil a n d g litte r on c a nvas, 4 8” x 36”

b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 97
98
26 || beautiful.biza
beautiful.bi zarre
rre
opposite page:
Paper World, 2015
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 48” x 30”

top:
Little Fish, 2013
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 60” x 120”

bottom:
Time and Chance, 2014
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 24” x 48”

b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 97
 The Dreamer, 2015
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 24” x 24”

98 | beautiful.bi za rre
Give Me Pretty Things, 2016
Oil, gold leaf and resin on canvas, 36” x 36”

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 99
EXCLUSIVE
CONTENT
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N E I L C R A V E R
“ L I FE I S NO T H I NG I F YOU’RE NOT OBSE SSE D.”
The mystery of water is described by American
photographer Neil Craver with an overwhelming,
inquisitive thirst. He curiously imparts, “I like the
innate power of water to create and destroy in the
same wave of energy. It’s only from a human’s
point of view that we label each one good or
bad; helpful or harmful. Our first 9 months we
start floating in our mother. How strange to be
floating in a container inside a human body - also
made from water. How powerful it could be to
retrieve the memory of what that water had been
before it started forming human organs. Could
it have flooded a valley of dinosaurs, been the
urine of Jesus, or the fluid of a dragonfly’s eye?”
This is the unique mind of Neil Craver.
Neil uses photography to illuminate an intangible
realm, far from the architecture of mundane
societal expectations. His Omni-Phantasmic
series embodies fluidity between physical
form and the metaphysical, employing water
as a powerful metaphorical abettor for his
subjects. “I wanted a subliminal composition,”
he says, “to create an undertow of messages
to stress the strong influences of unconscious
elements affecting and driving people’s lives.”
Subliminal or not, you are coming in loud and clear,
Sir.
Neil’s lens is an empathic kaleidoscope. You are
compelled to appraise the stir inside when looking
at the Omni-Phantasmic series. While the stuff
is of beautiful photographs, skill, and artistry;
the substance is indefinite. It is the bestowal of a
personalized epiphany for each viewer. “Their life
floods into my compositions with their emotions,
fears, and rationalities ultimately controlling their
final experience of my work,” he says, as I consume
this work voraciously…uniquely. How privileged
we are to know of this intention—to know that this
feeling is custom made especially for us.
Neil grew up in rural North Carolina, where his
creative endowment first revealed itself at an early
age. His interest in the arts formulated itself in
nature as a small child, when his path began, in
part, in figurative sculpting before evolving into the
photography he creates today. After high school,
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104 | beautiful.b i za rre
JOHN WATERS
he studied commercial photography at Randolph
Community College in North Carolina.
However creatively talented, Neil has more up his
sleeve than unbridled artistry. It took a very specific
skill set to endeavor the challenges presented
in creating Omni-Phantasmic. “If I weren’t an
adventurous, high energy kid from the country, I
wouldn’t have been able to produce this work. If I
weren’t motivated by an artistic perfection I wouldn’t
have had the patience to produce this work. My
physical abilities were a key factor in getting the
perspective that I needed, to give the series clarity I
desired. Free diving with only my goggles and camera
repeatedly under the submerged forest of trees was
extremely taxing! Twenty feet below the surface, in
imminent danger from loose boulders and broken
branches surrounding me and with no real lifeline.
I’d do this over and over again until either myself or
the model was absolutely exhausted. Due to this risky
environment, many people each year drown just
playing in rock quarries. One of the major obstacles
that you don’t realize when viewing the somewhat
pleasant moments in the series, is the complexity
of variables, time of year, time of day, hypothermia,
possible drowning etc. My focus in anything I set
out to do is definitely to have fun while doing it,
so I guess I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie with
the calm patience of an artist! If it’s not dangerous
it’s probably not worth doing, words to live by.”
Words to live by, indeed.
In the coming months, Neil plans to work on a new
photo series with yoga practitioners in picturesque
settings, particularly in Australia. He has a gallery
showing of Omni-Phantasmic in New York City
coming up in May 2017, and is working to have a
new series/book well under way by then. Oh, the
anticipation!
Until then, I recommend feasting on this
underwater trove of intangible treasure. “The
elements symbolize the fluidity of the unconscious
and the rigidity of the conscious. This project is
meant to be consumed with your emotions, and
not simply perceived with your sensory organs.”
...And don’t forget to look for the ever-present
phantasm in your own subconscious.
Ps ych o lo g ical Tr aj e c t or ie s, 2 0 1 1

prev i o u s p a ge :
No ctur n al Kn ow le dg e , 2 0 1 1
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o p p o sit e pa g e :
D is manting Conne c tions, 2 01 1

An c ient Anc hor, 2011

b e aut i f ul .b i z a r re | 107
 Fr a cture d Atla s , 20 11

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Intrins ic Inundat ion, 2 01 1

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 109
 D e lu s ion Illu s ion , 20 11

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Manufa c turing Cont ent , 2 01 1

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 o pposi t e pa ge :
So lvin g So lv e nt s, 2 0 1 1

Invis ible E s c ap e , 2 0 1 1

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b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 113
 Ema Frost

AN EXHIBITION OF WORKS & GOODIES BY NEW ZEALAND ARTIST EMA FROST

ORA Gallery,
51 7th Avenue, NY
3 -24 December
Opening weekend Sat Dec 3rd
www.oranygallery.com www.emafrost.com hrs wed-sun 1-7pm
EXCLUSIVE
CONTENT
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H A N N A H
“IT IS C OM MONLY K NOW N BY I N DIG E NOU S P E OP L E T H AT H IG H-F RE QU E NC Y
VIBRATIONS AC TIVATE C ONS C IOU SN E SS, NOU RI SH W H AT I S H U NG RY OR W E A K ,
HEAL W H AT IS S IC K , A ND INV IT E I N T H E MOST LU M I NOU S F ORC E S OF NAT U RE .”
ARKAN LUSHWALA
You’re looking at a closed box in front of you.
Opening it sends waves of colors streaking at you,
propelling you backwards with punching vigor.
Strap yourself in. Ready? Let’s open the box.....
New York City artist Hannah Faith Yata was born and
raised in Georgia, US where she studied art, psychology
and feminism at the University of Georgia and
graduated in 2012. She has become very successful at a
young age, having countless international publications
and exhibits in her short career. Speed is involved also
in her creative process; she builds up her surreal oil
paintings lightning fast --straight from her head directly
onto canvas without preliminary sketches -- before
finishing with carefully placed coats of varnish.
Environmentalism and feminism heavily influences
Hannah Faith Yata’s work, gaining inspiration from
the writings of Sigmund Freud, Eric Fromm, and Paul
Shepard. Subject matter is gained also from her own
treatment as a woman growing up that has resulted in
a tumultuous relationship with her estranged mother.
Hannah approaches the topic of objectification of
women and destruction of the environment through
her smooth brushstrokes. Far from being static, figures
embrace their bodies, strongly standing behind their
femininity not squandering it behind shame. They
seem to be in constant motion, dancing about their
hectic compositions. Born from vexation with chaotic
world events Hannah strives to bring her viewers to
that place in her oil paintings; the place where human,
animal, and nature alike morph together to create
equilibrium and mutual respect.
“The industrial paradigm breeds an unnatural neurosis
with our divorce from nature and the spiritual
disconnection we have from earth. I think we get
so wrapped up in movements or political agendas:
fighting this, helping that- we forget to analyze
ourselves: our way of life, and why certain things
are so appealing to us and why we are so influenced
by certain imagery or ideas. Without analyzing the
framework of our being- our psychohistory and own
human ecology- we will never stop our endless cycle
of consuming what beautiful world we have left no
matter what kind of government is in place.”
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Y A T A
Striations of color roll out like carpets, characters’
necks exploding with highly saturated pigments.
Nude feminine figures blend into animals amongst
impenetrable fog and lush landscapes on canvas.
Rarely, if ever, do Hannah’s protagonists have
human faces. Rather they are replaced with fish
heads and tribal masks and bulbous rainbows.
Hannah describes the use of these as “masks”,
what we hide behind concealing our true selves.
Nude figures represent the artist finding strength
to overcome the lifelong teachings of shame and
diffidence, and to embrace the beauty of woman.
“...the fish head became the original mask that I
became familiar with; something a part of nature
yet so numb in expression. The blank expression
reflected my own struggles with feeling brainwashed
and insecure...She grew to encompass other spirit
animals and other masks.”
Hannah Faith Yata has become more introspective as
of late, with her last few paintings “Dancing in Delirium”
being less forcibly vibrant than previous works. Though
still possessing that psychedelic vibe, the colors are
more toned back and relaxed but still hold potency
and plenty of cheeky metaphors. Hannah’s use of
colors is directly related to her expression of emotion.
Heightened tension results in heightened vibrancy.
Yata describes her choosing of colors like a well-crafted
science experiment; she has learned to balance color
and can pair colors together to form catalysts that make
her work bubble and ooze. She expresses thoughts and
feelings with oil paints, striving to infuse each piece
with energy and extend it out to the viewer.
“I feel like I am a translator of feelings onto canvas
with shapes and color. I do feel these emotions in
color, but really to the extent that I’m able to translate
that in paint.”
Future plans for Hannah includes exhibiting her
new body of work Dancing in Delirium. In addition,
Hannah plans to use her resources to help protect
the rainforest in Ecuador from oil companies and
deforestation, and visiting with native tribes that live
there.
 D aug ht e r s, 2 0 1 5
O il on canv a s, 4 8” x 6 6 ”

prev i o u s p a ge :
Th e In s anity De fe n se , 2 0 1 5
O il on canva s, 3 6 ” x 3 6 ”
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o p p o s it e page:
Unre pent ant S usanna, 2 01 5
Oil on canv as, 2 4 ” x 30”

D evil’s Breat h, 2 01 6
Oil on canv as, 40” x 48”

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 Take Me Seriously, 2013
Oil on canvas, 32” x 48”

122 | beautiful.b i za rre

 Supercalifragilistic, 2014
Oil on canvas, 48” x 48”

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122 | beautiful.b i za rre
o ppo s it e pag e :
Icar us , 20 16
O il on p an el , 18 ” x 24”

t o p:
Ae th e r, 20 16
O il on canv as , 6 0 ” x 6 0 ”

bo t t o m :
In s omnia , 20 16
O il on canv as , 3 6 ” x 3 6 ”

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 Sublime Madness, 2016
Oil on canvas, 36” x 36”

opposite page:
Head Trauma, 2015
Oil on canvas, 36” x 36”

126 | beautiful.b i za rre

b e aut i f ul . b i z a r re | 127
 Claudia Ducalia

current exhibition:
corpus dei @Nero Gallery Nov 26th 2016
Jan 7th 2017
Via Castruccio Castracane, 9 Rome | Italy | www.nerogallery.com
EXCLUSIVE
CONTENT
Click Here!
S O E Y
“ S H E I S FRE E I N H E R WI L DN E SS, SHE I S A WA N DE RE SS,
A DROP OF F RE E WATE R .”
Like antique walls that have been repainted
and wallpapered over a series of generations,
so too Soey Milk’s paintings have many layers
of vibrant pigments peeking through. Washes
of baby blues and violets are set off by sparks
of orange and deep crimson swathes. At the
center of the gracefully chaotic colors are
Milk’s nymphets; portraits of lovely women
perpetually gazing back with a sleepy sensual
gaze or wrapped in slick ropes and robes.
Everything on the canvas reads as slippery soft
silk.
Soey Milk grew up in Seoul, South Korea. The
mountains and foothills were her cradle of
life, and looking at her work now she cites
the seasons of that land as inspiration. “The
summers there were lush, and the winters icy
and shimmery.” But although the inherent
colors of South Korea’s landscape set Milk’s
“intuitive palette”, it was also cartoons and
manga that informed her work. After receiving
one of Nicoletta Costa’s children’s books at age
seven, Milk fondly recalls, “I drew her cats and
cookies over and over, probably hundreds of
times.” Later on this fascination with line and
pattern transferred to an appreciation of artists
such as Klimt and Antonio Lopez Garcia, but as
a student Milk still continued to mostly indulge
in drawing. “Then, when I met Kent Williams,
the painting party started.”
Historically and consistently women have been
painted through the eyes of men, however Milk
shows that knowing the subject intimately can
add a dimension of depth that creates a more
profound insight into the world of femininity. “I
am attracted to drawing and painting the female
figure because I understand it so well. After all,
we tell the stories we know.” Milk’s stories are
indeed well rooted in complete comprehension
of the concept. Her subjects are entirely at ease
within their frame, whether in strong repose, or
lolling about on a bed full of pillows, there is an
ethereal, authentic elegance and poise.
www. m il k b om b . blogsp o t . c om | Wor d s : Ju s t i n e Mor row
132 | beautiful.b i za rre
M I L K
ROMAN PAYNE
The incredible effortless ambiance Milk brings
to her work is not without support and process.
Milk’s paintings each have their own wonderfully
detailed preliminary drawing. These drawings
serve as an experimentation to let her ideas
cook. Adjusting, changing, and playing are all
part of creating the final painted version, but she
will also abandon uncompleted works. When a
painting is too clearly envisioned, Milk reveals
that the preliminary sketch becomes mundane.
“It’s almost as if the surface needs to frighten
me with its blankness, and then the state of ‘not
knowing’ fires up something inside me.”
This sense of the unknown matches well with
Milk’s elemental playfulness. Many of her
paintings include real flower petals, crushed
crystals, or thread. Immediately when viewing
Milk’s work a sense of solid textural quality
is clear. The expressive brushstrokes, the
juxtaposition of soft skin in the foreground
and tumultuous scraps of brash color in the
background, matched with Milk’s materials of
dirt and ground gems, create a painted world
of absolute beauty. “I continue to ask myself
‘why not?’ When I need to set out to explore...
it’s like adding spices to my pieces. I connect
to the different textures that they give. It’s just
visually intriguing to me.” Experimenting with
odd and unconventional components not
only satisfies the needs of the artist, but also
produces what Milk calls her “visual timelines.”
Each painting, as Milk moves forward through
daily life, is created through her “human filter.”
The imagery she works with naturally echoes
her progression; new ideas, new perspectives
are sifted through her mind and hands to create
a work that Milk hopes others can relate to.
Larger canvas size, pushing out of her
comfort zone, and, quite literally, playing
with fire are all on the horizon. Soey Milk
will continue to experiment and revel in the
freedom that multi-media presents. “Success,
for me, is when I have learned a lesson.”
p rev io u s p a g e :
Flowe r of the Fifth Se a son, 2 01 6
Oil , drie d b loss om s a n d crushed fool’s
go l d on c a nva s , 28 ” x 24”

Oulid a , 2015
O il a n d drie d b los som on panel, 1 6” x 2 0”
 A Particular Place, 2015
Oil and copper on canvas, 24” x 36”

134 | beautiful.b i za rre

 Earthlings, 2015
Oil and dried plant matter on canvas, 36” x 36”

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 Hymenopus Coronatus, 2013
Oil on canvas, 24” x 30”

60 | beautiful.bi za rre
 le f t : r ig ht :
Cir r u s , 20 13 My D ay s Have Be e n Q uie t, 20 14
O il on canvas , 24” x 3 6 ” O il on canv as , 24” x 3 0 ”

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62
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beautiful.bi zarre
rre
 Dawn, 2014
Oil on paper, 24” x 24”
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Hollow Pollen No.2 (Cropped), 2016
Oil, resin and baby’s breath on panel, 36” x 36”

64
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beautiful.bii za rre
 top lef t : t o p r ig ht :
The S cent Under t he Mo on , 20 13 Hidde n , 20 13
Pencil on paper, 10 ” x 12” Pen cil on p ap er, 10 ” x 12”

bo t t o m le f t : bo t t o m r ig ht :
The Q uiet O n e , 20 13 Mo on Blo om, Sn ow, 20 13
Pencil on paper, 10 ” x 12” Pen cil on p ap er , 10 ” x 12”

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 O N TH E R I SE

B E L L A H A R R I S
w w w. b e lla h a r r is . c o m

Thornheart, 2016
Charcoal, graphite, carbon, and pastel on tinted paper, 12” x 16”

142 | beautiful.b i za rre

 O N TH E R I SE

L O R E T T A L I Z Z I O
www. lo re tt a liz z io . tu m b lr. c o m

The Love Song, 2016

Oil, watercolour and ink on paper, 300mm x 423mm

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 O N TH E R I SE

L A U R A C O L O R S
w w w. la u ra c o lo rs . c o m

Three Rings, 2016

Acrylic on wood panel, 11” x 14”

144 | beautiful.b i za rre

 O N TH E R I SE

F A Y H E L F E R
w w w. f a y h e lf e r.c o m

Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant), 2013

Pyrography, natural pigment and pastel on wood, 16” x 20”

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 O N TH E R I SE

M A R I E L A R K I N
ww w. m a r ie la r k in . co m . a u

Force of Nature, 2016

Oil on canvas, 12” x 16“

146 | beautiful.b i za rre

 O N TH E R I SE

E W A P R O N C Z U K - K U Z I A K
www. ewa p ro n c z u k k u z ia k . p l

Who killed Bambi, The Still Life series, 2015

Oil on linen, 80cm x 80cm

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 O N TH E R I SE

K I N D R A N I K O L E
ww w. k in d ra n iko le . co m

Of Withering Abundance, 2015

Mixed media; photograph on maple wood, resin glazed
Model: Suzanne Helen Steben

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 O N TH E R I SE

C A R L Y J A N I N E M A Z U R
w w w. c a r l y ja n in e . c o m

Doppelgänger, 2014
Oil and acrylic on board, 16” x 20”

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 O N TH E R I SE

L A N A C R O O K S
w w w. la n a cro o k s . co m

Anemone, 2015
Hand dyed silk, wool, beads, and antique brass under glass dome, 6.5” x 6.5” x 10”

150 | beautiful.b i za rre

 O N TH E R I SE

C A R I S A S W E N S O N
www. g o b lin f r u its tu d io . co m

William’s Doll, 2013

Paper clay, wire, fabric, wood, mohair, acrylic paint, glass eyes, 14” tall

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