Todd Jones

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Born in:1992, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Lives in: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Education:Master of Fine Arts, Painting + Drawing, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2022 Graduate Certificate, Visual Arts Management, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2022 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art and Psychology, Minor: Art History, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2016 Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts, Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, FL, 2013
Describe your art in 3 words:excavating, sedimentary, and mistint
See More Work:  https://www.taahd.com/

Orogeny - Discarded/mistint house paint, 18 x 26 inches, NFS

"My work explores residual cultural memory through the detritus of the ever-decreasing life cycle of our identity-driven attention economy. Through processes of archeological curation, accretion, and excavation, I create new objects that query the values of our current sociopolitical positions and examine implications for sustainability."

What themes does your current work involve?
Discarded and mistint house paints are manifestations of culture as they are forgotten in basements, garages, closets, and left behind by previous owners. Mistint house paints are orphaned in hardware stores by customers unsatisfied with their original color choices or when the store fails to create the desired hue or finish. Disconnected from the original owners and their intentions, mistint house paints are imbued with invisible individual memory and comprise a visible cultural history. Color carries a deep resonance, and choosing a paint color is rooted in psychological affects such as mood and behavior.
Describe your creative process.
​​Process plays a central role in my work as I recontextualize materials through my collection and intervention. Salvaging and molding layers of paint into newfound forms, these stratifications expose remnants and the foundation of their previous lives. I reformulate the discarded and mistint paints into a visual record of cultural history through material transformations by pouring numerous layers to create strata-like forms that mimic natural sedimentation. The new relationship of each color layer is exposed through excavation and creates a cultural snapshot that examines the development of our society through patterns of culture/identity shedding. These reconstructed objects focus on abandoned materials, critiquing the excessive waste of our contemporary consumerist ideology.
What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?
My work is influenced by and explores the thematic intersections of domestic space, geography, and geological process. The Material Art Movement that started in China during the 1980s inspires me. During this time, artists used unconventional materials to produce works in which material, rather than image or style, was paramount in developing the artist's social critique. I also make art to create my critique of society and discuss topics and issues today.
What are your goals and plans as an artist in 2023?
My goal as an artist in 2023 is to exhibit my work in more group and solo exhibitions, both national and international. I also want to engage in conversations about my research through artist presentations and continue to make an impact teaching in higher education. I would love to be a Visiting Artist at another college or university to engage in dialogue with students in other academic settings.
What is the role of the artist today?
An artist's role is to be true to themselves and to influence society for the better. Art plays an essential role in shaping the culture of a community. Art in contemporary culture is a dynamic blend of materials, methods, concepts, and subjects that challenge the traditional boundaries of art-making. Contemporary art reflects modern culture and provides resources for discussing current ideas and issues. The audience plays a crucial role in the artwork by contributing their experiences, opinions, and interpretations.
What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?
Good art can start a conversation and contribute to the dialog of society. I am drawn to material explorations and art that push the boundaries of one medium into another.
Mineral Collector: 7 - Discarded/mistint house paint, 17 x 14 inches, NFS
Metamorphic - Discarded/mistint house paint, 23 x 25.5 inches, NFS
Mantle - Discarded/mistint house paint, 11 x 14 inches, NFS
Blue China - Discarded/mistint house paint, 20 x 15 inches, NFS

 

This interview was published by Circle Foundation of the Arts. © CFA Press ∙ Images are courtesy of the artist

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Daniella Batsheva

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Born in: 1989, Philadelphia, PA
Lives in: Between US, UK, and Israel
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
Describe your art in 3 words: haunting, spicy, magical
See More Work: daniellabatsheva.com

Sleep Paralysis - Ink, coloured pencil, tipex on found object, 9x12 in. $300

Daniella Batsheva is a self-proclaimed “Illustrator with a design habit” whose aesthetic straddles the line between underground fine art and the mainstream. She has illustrated for Paris Jackson, Kerrang!, Revolve Agency, Pizza Girl, and numerous show posters, which have become well-known in London.

What themes does your current work involve?
The themes often involve a blend of urban legends, symbolism from many different cultures, and femininity. The stylistic approach is a fusion between retro punk show posters and children's book illustration with a heavy Victorian flair. Being commissioned to illustrate pieces with completely different topics ends up being tons of fun because I get to process the subject matter through that mental lens. Lately I've been including a lot more humour in my pieces which adds a more relatable, human element that's received a lot of positive responses.
Describe your creative process.
My process is extremely traditional and it always starts with a massive amount of research. Depending on the topic, I might head to a library. Then lots of thumbnailing and sketching. Once I find the right imagery and composition, I roughly draw out the full-sized piece on bristol. This is where my friends say I'm a grandpa - I'll pull out tracing paper, redraw and refine certain elements, and transfer it to the paper, so everything is ready for me to begin inking. Sometimes I'll keep a drawing black and white, other times I'll scan it in and colour it digitally. Most of my work is commissioned, so the client usually only requires a file and I get to stash away the original like a happy little gremlin.
What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?
I've always felt obsessively compelled to make art. It was my chosen method of communication as an awkward child. I tell people that it's really all I know how to do! These days, I find myself drawing more in defiance of the alarming trends towards AI and the devaluation of artists, but my creations are mostly out of love and a need for mental clarity. My work is heavily influenced by illuminated manuscripts, Victorian era children's books, and horror films. I love taking the naivete and innocence of early illustrations and pairing it with a modern narrative. I generally choose to not rely on a shock-factor or fan-art. I want people to appreciate the artwork, not for its gore or nudity, but for its quality, character, and symbolism.
What are your goals and plans as an artist in 2023?
I'm currently working on an exhibition called "Skirting Spectres" with my friend Susan Slaughter (Ghost Hunters Int., Paranormal Caught on Camera). It's a week long supernatural pop-up show that's taking place at The Crypt Gallery in London from April 25-30. There will be never before seen illustrations on display, along with accompanying stories, lectures, a Q&A session with Susan and I, and live drawing sessions on the weekdays. I also have artwork on display at ArtExpo New York this weekend. I'm continuing to work with my clients, both as an illustrator and designer. Other than that, I'm trying to spend as much time in nature as possible. There's nothing I love more than walking around in the park or woods on a gloomy day.
How do recent advancements in technology affect your art practice? How may recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (image generator software) affect the definition of fine art?
AI hasn't affected my work on a personal level, but seeing artists attacked as "unnessecary" or "gatekeepers" is gaslighting of the worst degree. Artists are not privileged and we are not gatekeeping anything. Anyone is free to put in the work and develop the skills necessary to become an artist. Museums, galleries are free, and you can absolutely find tutorials on youtube. Scraping the internet and using the art of hard working people to create a database that generates derivative images is an insult to any skilled worker that has dedicated their lives to honing their skills. It's simply laziness. We have a culture of convenience and a need for instant gratification due to being perpetually connected to our gadgets and receiving an onslaught of information. We need to touch grass.
What is the role of the artist today?
I think the role is evolving. Artists have always defined their environments through fashion, product design, paintings, iconic imagery and logos, and I think that will continue to be true. However, we're in a place where technology is rapidly progressing, in an attempt to replace artists and, while I don't think it threatens the will to create, public perception of the arts appears to be at an all-time low. People are forgetting why art is important, schools are cutting funding to their arts programs, art is being politicised as something "liberal" rather than something human, and it's all very alarming. I think, as Henry Rollins said, "This is not a time to be dismayed. This is punk rock time." And maybe, right now, artists need to remind people how to be rebellious, critical thinkers.
What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?
A good piece involves striking a balance between skill and cleverness. A piece that is entirely skill, for example, a drawing that is photorealistic but drawn from an existing image, can be impressive, but that's all it is. A piece that has a brilliant concept, but is poorly executed, also misses the mark. Good art is able to communicate a message while being visually appealing in some way. Great artwork should capture the imagination of the viewer and hold it, inspire some emotion, keep them searching, or simply give them a new environment to inhabit for a moment. Great artwork should have a versatility to it. It should be able to be applied in a context outside of visual arts so that it can be enjoyed beyond a specific, exclusive place and the viewer can develop a relationship with it.
Pierrette (Fangoria Exclusive) - Ink and digital colouring, 11x14 in. $20 print
Martyr - Ink, coloured pencil, tipex on found object, 9x12 in. $300
Storming the Gates - Ink on bristol, 11x14 in. $900
Beatrix Potter - Ink, coloured pencil, tipex on found object, 9x12 in. $300

This is the time for artists to create a space for each other, outside of a digital umbrella. We're trendsetters, we're hard workers, and I think we're generally very interesting people. I suspect that if we build that community and space physically for each other, it'll inspire others to follow. Or maybe I'm just being idealistic and people really don't have the will to challenge the status quo. I think we're at an interesting social turning point and we have yet to see where it goes. I'm gonna stick around for the ride and if art becomes disliked, for whatever reason, I'll keep drawing out of spite.

 

This interview was published by Circle Foundation of the Arts. © CFA Press ∙ Images are courtesy of the artist

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John Ralston

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Born in: 1987, USA
Lives in: Baltimore, MD, USA
Education: Masters of Fine Art - Maryland Institute College of Art
Bachelors of Fine Art - Old Dominion University
Describe your art in 3 words: Unknowable Alien Topography
See More Work: johnralstonv.net

Janoxeh - Paint, Gypsum Powder, Resin - 14"x18"x4" - $2300

"This work accelerates and embellishes natural forms of accumulation and erosion. While it could be said that they are emulating nature, specific methods and materials are used to disrupt the relationship between our earth-bound perception and evoke the true synthetic characteristics within each piece. Jarring color changes and manic tooling are employed to convey alien topography while the reflective surface disrupts the immediate association to scenery that we collectively understand."

What themes does your current work involve?
Observation of the universe from the perspective of those that have mastered it. Pursuing an inscrutable non-object. Omnipresence. Space and Time.
Describe your creative process.
The work I make is in a constant state of generation. I am continually beginning new work simultaneously with other pieces that have already undergone various stages of their development. There is an objective embedded within this, the constant experimentation allows for quick investigation to new ways to go about generating a specific aesthetic. The excess, leftover pieces and off-cuts are fed back into the new work. Colors are recycled into new blends to be a part of reimagined characteristics within the next group. Work that is in the middle of manipulation is reimplanted or stored for work in the future. I Introduce chemicals and forces that edit the drying process. The materials are substances are derived from what I interact with regularly in my work as a historic home renovation professional.
What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?
I almost exclusively read science fiction these days. I am stuck imagining a reality among the stars. I am hopeful for humanity’s future and reference the success of our species on this planet as evidence of our bright future off the earth. This generation is one of the last that will remain here in its entirety. Soon we will change our bodies to live within the vacuum of space and set off to experience a civilization without time and place, withheld by nothing. To spread our influence into the passage of infinity, and become one with eternity.
What are your goals and plans as an artist in 2023?
I am hoping to exhibit more of my newest pieces that I debuted in January of this year. I am also planning to develop a better process for documenting my work so that I have more control of the images I am using to present the most important attributes of each piece. Surface and sheen have so much influence in how these pieces are viewed, it is difficult to capture the true essence of the in person viewing experience. This year I am hoping to make the investment in the equipment and begin the training that will be necessary to further my ability to effectively document this work.
How do recent advancements in technology affect your art practice? How may recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (image generator software) affect the definition of fine art?
I have been aware of this question since well before AI. When I was in college the subject was how 3d printing was going to change the way art is made. I think anyone who attempts to interact with these technologies is quickly adapted to the cookie cutter things they create and the obvious boundaries at the edges of the tool’s capability. It’s a tool like any other. Some people will use it in very novel and interesting ways but it will quickly become over saturated with sameness and artists and viewers will move on to the next thing that interests them the most. I feel at this point in my career, I am looking for way to hone what I already know into deeper and higher quality work rather than incorporate the latest creative phenomenon.
What is the role of the artist today?
I feel that artists today have to embrace the pervasive technology that is constantly changing the environment where they can get exposure and opportunity. Adapting the content you make to the packaging it requires to be noticed has become as complicated as making the art itself. I myself, still have a lot of work to do in this regard and it would probably be the best place for me to start if I want to get better results.
What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?
There is something within abstraction when methods and materials align in a composition that scratches an itch we all have. Great art envelopes nuance that is immediately new and exciting. There are works in all genres and themes that seem to achieve this while others don’t. To me it’s something I know immediately when I see it. Collectively we have all sought to further add complexity to what art and installation are, still there are universal truths that remain despite this necessity to evolve. Even if something looks bad it needs to have a reason for being that way and it should be represented immediately upon experiencing the work. I tend to gravitate towards art that presents me with evidence of workmanship mastery and labor.
Vaeldous - Paint, Gypsum Powder, Resin - 12"x15"x4" - $1800
Xuzh - Paint, Gypsum Powder, Resin - 9"x9"x5" - $1100
Keinough - Paint, Gypsum Powder, Resin - 16"x20"x5" - $2300
D'Carron Voy - Paint, Gypsum Powder, Resin - 15"x23"x4" - $4000

 

This interview was published by Circle Foundation of the Arts. © CFA Press ∙ Images are courtesy of the artist

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Gergana Nikolova

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Born in: 1991, Bulgaria
Lives in: Sofia, Bulgaria
Education: 2014 – Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria - 2016 – Master of Fine Arts from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria - From 2022 I started a PhD in the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria - Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artist since 2018
Describe your art in 3 words: changing, emotional, mysterious
See More Work: https://gergananikolova.com/

Liquid Soul I - Acrylic on canvas 100 x 81 cm €2,500

"My art is driven by emotions. I like to extract philosophical ideas from books and seek to transfer emotions from music. I also play the piano and naturally, music in general is very important to me. I find these two branches of art – painting and music – very similar. I like to change my painting style drastically – I don’t like to repeat myself, that’s why change is very important to me."

What themes does your current work involve?
In my current work I’m studying and experimenting with water reflections. I’m very fascinated by the strange forms, that the water is forming. The water reflections look very distorted and abstract, and therefore provoke my imagination to see figures in them. The salt pans near Burgas impressed me with their pink and orange water and this is what I wanted to express in the painting "Liquid Soul I". The technique that I’m using is greatly influenced by the classical examples – I’m following exact stages and I’m working with multiple layers. I work with acrylic paint and I combine it with structure past, vanish or pigments, in order to achieve different effects.
Describe your creative process.
When I get an idea, I start to think how to express it visually. Important step for me is to choose music that resonates with the feeling of the painting in order to maintain and provoke the creative process. When I start new painting, I try to enliven and enrich it with emotions. After a while, the different elements start to develop their own logic and in its own way, the painting is showing me how to continue. I don’t think that the artwork has a particular ending. For me it is just that at some point I don’t see any more how to continue and the emotional connection between me and the painting is gone. At that moment I know that I need to stop, because after this point everything that I try to do looks wrong. After I “leave” a painting I don’t work on it anymore for exactly that reason.
What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?
There are many things that influence my work – experiences, books, movies or music. I am also inspired by other artist – painters and musicians. I have always been impressed by the human psyche and emotions. When I make a portrait, I like to immerse myself in the psychology of the person and express it in the painting. The face is a mirror of the personality and the eyes are gates to the soul. In my opinion, to make art one must have an inner urge to create and to overcome obstacles along the way. I feel this urge inside me and it provokes me to continue.
What are your goals and plans as an artist in 2023?
One of my goals for 2023 is to focus on my PhD thesis. I'm writing about the abstract geometry of Georgi Yanakiev - one bulgarian artist from Burgas, who was most active in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century. Another goal, of course, is to paint as much as possible. I don’t have any upcoming exhibitions for now, but I'm looking foward to have some.
How do recent advancements in technology affect your art practice? How may recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (image generator software) affect the definition of fine art?
The recent advancement in technology doesn’t really affect my art practice yet. I think the AI developments affect more the digital artist. In the digital art world, it will be more difficult to tell at first glance which artwork is made by an artist and which by the AI. The fine arts, for example the physical paintings, will most likely become more valuable.
What is the role of the artist today?
I think that the artist in general is like a generator that absorbs ideas from the surrounding world and transform them into his art. Like a mediator among the people, that subconsciously catches ideas and bring them into life. The role of the artist today hasn’t changed so much, in my opinion – I think he still is respected in the society.
What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?
In my opinion, art is good when it expresses a deep truth and emotion. No matter the style, the viewer should be able to feel this from the artwork. A great piece of art is that which stands the test of time and speaks to the viewer through the ages.

 

This interview was published by Circle Foundation of the Arts. © CFA Press ∙ Images are courtesy of the artist

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