Featured Artist – Blue Koi Gallery

June 12, 2024June 12, 2024

Drew McDonald

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

“Obsession”

Drew McDonald

Artist Locale: Texas USA

Subject Matter: Obsession and Identity

Medium: Oil

About “Obsession”:

This piece intricately entwines my artistry, employing the trompe l’oeil technique to narrate the evolution from sketches and scrap paper to the final painting. Within the monochromatic pink and black painting, a romantic scene is portrayed: my dance with Death on a lake beneath a sunset’s embrace. As society drives us to prioritize possessions, such belongings are often viewed as extensions of individuals’ identities. We are what we own, and an excess of anything can prove fatal. Vanitas has always been a prevailing theme throughout my works, as well as the iconic character Hello Kitty. The sticky-note speech bubble describes a letter: “Dear Hello Kitty, Why does everything I own have your face on it? Dreezy XOXO,” serving as an inner thought I often contemplate as I find myself increasingly drawn to anything with her likeness. I have always been enamored by everything cute; however, she represents the epitome of cuteness in my eyes. Here, she embodies the celestial alignment of Aquarius, a nod to both my identification with her character and my own date of birth. In the upper left, clippings of past works serve as a profound reflection, infusing each stroke with the essence of both triumphs and tribulations. This piece serves as a gateway to my psyche, grappling with notions of art, artistic experience, and mortality.

Artist Statement:

McDonald’s works delve into the interplay between obsession and identity. In a society where possessions often define us, her art explores the nuanced relationship between what we own and who we are. Combining themes of identity, mortality, and the pervasive influence of pop culture, each piece tells its own story while encompassing the dichotomy of a hypercute aesthetic and subversive visual elements. This creates a dialogue that resonates with contemporary sensibilities. Drawing inspiration from diverse sources, including iconic figures like Hello Kitty and revered artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso, McDonald aims to bridge the gap between past and present. Hello Kitty holds a prominent place in her mind, evoking nostalgia and symbolizing femininity. Through her art, McDonald captures the human experience, blending notions of romanticism with elements of obscenity. Ultimately, her paintings serve as reflections of the complexities of growing up in the contemporary world, allowing her to assert her own identity.

Artist Bio

Drew McDonald is an oil painter residing in her hometown of Austin, Texas. She graduated from Texas State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in Studio Art with a concentration in painting. Since completing her studies, she has enthusiastically participated in numerous exhibitions across Austin, San Antonio, and neighboring regions. McDonald utilizes pink and monochromatic color palettes to express her female perspective through her art. She finds joy in applying her academic background, artistic passion, and personal life experiences to her creative endeavors.

June 12, 2024June 12, 2024

Hollis Richardson

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

“Winner”

Hollis Richardson

Artist Locale: Ohio, USA

Subject Matter: Expressive Contemporary

Medium: Mixed Media

About this Piece:

I have long been intrigued with the endless artistic opportunities of portraying women, their style and their relationships. I believe woman should have power and control over their own lives and the right to make choices for themselves. Female bonding and mentoring is an important part of the process for that path to be accelerated.

Winners is one of a series of my recent artworks that explore the many ways this theme can be portrayed in portrait stylized presentations. Juxtaposing these two women almost nose to nose suggests a close encounter and relationship. The bright, happy colors assure us there is something very positive happening between them. I used repetitions and variations of color and shapes to illuminate their moods and personalities and to brighten and balance the overall composition. They have the same colors with different patterns in their hair, but here is a line between them and they are on different colored backgrounds, suggesting they are indeed separate people with their own individuality.

Hollis Richardson grew up in rural Oklahoma, the seventh of eight children. He discovered the joy of drawing in childhood and was awarded recognition for a mural he created for his high school. After serving in the Army in Korea, he used the GI Bill to attend college. He earned a BA in art and an MA in art education from Southeastern State University, Durant, Oklahoma. He taught on the Navajo Reservation, and in Europe with the military dependent schools, where he saw the great masters in European Museums. He was particularly interested in the post impressionists, known for pushing past realism and an emphasis on obtaining an abstract quality to their work. While working as a mental health worker and a teacher for many years in California and Idaho, he consistently devoted
all of his free time to meeting the challenge of developing his artistic skills.

In the early 1970s, he created detailed realistic drawings of people, using radiograph pens, yielding fine lines that ultimately expressed the character of the person portrayed. It was an unforgiving medium. An error in the drawing or leak from the pen could not be erased. The artwork had to started over from the beginning on new paper. Oil paintings were less realistic, more post impressionistic. He participated in juried shows, earning recognition in several states. Every acceptance and award spurred him onward. He continually educated himself about the work of other artists, which influenced him to explore several genres. Upon discovery of Nicolai Fechin, the Russian born artist in Taos, NM, he emulated his techniques, painting in an impressionistic style. At the time he was living in Idaho and Colorado, attending native American Powwows and frequently visiting Taos and Santa Fe, where he trudged through the many art galleries, learning what made a painting good art. During this period of time, he created a body of western work mastering impressionism. He learned that regardless of the genre, the principles of good composition involved the use of contrast, emphasis, proportions, rhythm, movement, variety and unity.

In 1992, Richardson moved to Ohio and devoted himself full time to his artwork. He continued to invest in art books, studying the works of Van Gogh, Egon Schiel, Gustave Klimt, Chaim Soutine and African art. He liberated himself to follow and develop his own unique path. He created abstract oil paintings, and small sculptures in polymer clay and stone work that were figurative and whimsical. As he aged, he was forced to find another two dimensional medium, not involving the use of turpentine. He discovered the rich color and light fastness of Caran D’Arches Luminous colored pencils, similar to the qualities of oil paint that he loved. With the return to drawing, his work is increasingly more stylized with a strong abstract quality, often using distortion to enhance the composition, something he had learned early to appreciate. His art is informed by his experiences with people and cultures and reflect his deep empathy for people, often tinged with a touch of humor. They result from his varied experiences: a child migrant worker in California, a teacher of Navajo Reservation, s soldier in the last days of Korean War, life in Germany and France as a teacher in Army schools, a school teacher in rural Idaho and a mental health worker for many years in California and Colorado. His observations of human nature and his love of oil painting have consistently intermingled over the course of his lifetime.

Hollis continues to devote himself full time to his art, pursuing artistic excellence and expressing his appreciation of people who strive to maintain dignity and positive attitude in a complex world. His goal is to create expressive contemporary art, each artwork a better composition than the last. His distinctive art has achieved national recognition and can be found in homes and offices of discerning collectors throughout the United States.

May 10, 2024June 20, 2024

Barbara Miner

Barbara Miner Solo Exhibition

Artist Locale: OH, USA

Medium: Digital print, Stencils, Spray Paint, Posca markers

Artist Statement

I live in a 15-acre woodlot in an area of Ohio called the Great Black Swamp. I walk the property every day and I am struck by the clash between the speed of the external digital world, and my sanctuary-bubble where the slow and steady reclamation of human-abandoned fields by the natural world continues on relentlessly. Virginia creeper, ash saplings and thistle repopulate lawns wrenched from the rich black soil. Any tiny space that is left “unimproved” by weed killer or asphalt becomes a complex and layered miniature biome for mosses and insects. Rather than duplicate what I see, I strive to create an impression of what I experience during my time in nature.

Artist Bio

Barbara Miner holds the position of tenured Professor and Chair in the Department of Art, at the University of Toledo, Toledo, OH. Miner has been a working artist/scholar for 26 years and a full-time, self-employed studio artist producing ceramic tableware for 10 years prior to that time.
Her mixed media sculptures, installation works, paintings and prints, informed by the nexus of human/nature interaction, and the practice of meditative repetition, have been exhibited nationally (Maine to California) and internationally (Sweden and Poland) in over 107 exhibitions.

Most recently, she was a finalist for the Uptown Green Shade Project, Toledo, Ohio, first place award winner for the third international online juried art exhibition of the International Visual Literacy Association, and awarded an Individual Artist’s Grant from the Ohio Arts Council for the 2022-2023 year. She has curated three exhibition events, including a lecture/workshop with the noted Author and Photographer, Rosamond Purcell and the sculptor Dewey Blocksma. Miner has participated in numerous national and international artists’ residencies, from Maine to Poland and Sweden. She has presented at national and international conferences and contributed articles to Ceramics Monthly, Dialogue/Arts in the Midwest, and the journal published for the International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability. Miner has received many internal and external grants in support of her research and art practice, as well as numerous Awards for Excellence/Merit.

May 10, 2024May 10, 2024

Lori McCoy

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

Hey Mister

Lori McCoy

Artist Locale: Nevada, USA

Subject Matter:

Medium:

About Hey Mister:

The Piece “Hey Mister” was a personal journey for me. As a little girl growing up in the desert being tough wasn’t an option, not only did I survive but I thrived, despite the conditions. This painting reflects the wildness and resilient qualities of girlhood. While appearing innocent and naive there is an undercurrent of danger and illusion, challenging the stereotype of what little girls are made of. She is the embodiment of strength, beauty, suffering and tentative altruism. She is the little girl in us all.

Artist Statement:

I am a self taught award winning surrealism artist. I have been painting for over 30 years. My unique art style is Norman Rockwell meets Americana roadside rest-stop. Painting is my obsession and I would say that I paint my subjects from the inside out. Each and every painting is a wild ride filled with symbolism and storytelling.

Artist Bio

May 10, 2024May 10, 2024

Ekaterina Titova

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

Magic City

Ekaterina Titova

Artist Locale: Colorado, USA

Subject Matter: Surreal, Bold, Vivid

Medium: Airbrush, Acrylic

About this Piece:

The painting “Magic City” ( Canvas 40×32 in., airbrush) reflects a dive into the fantastical and surreal. I envisioned a city where the usual laws of physics and social norms do not apply—a place animated by mysterious creatures and unusual architecture.

Artist Statement:

I was born in Leningrad, Russia and spent my childhood surrounded by a rich cultural environment that fostered a deep appreciation for the arts. After completing my education at Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design and later St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, I earned both a specialist and master’s degree, respectively.

While searching for new ways to express myself artistically, I discovered a passion for airbrush style painting, which I found captivating due to its ability to create intricate and realistic designs. I decided to pursue this interest by enrolling in airbrush courses and developing my own unique style that blends traditional techniques with contemporary elements.

As an acrylic painter, I specialize in creating strange and captivating characters that are both surreal and intriguing. My works often feature bold, vivid colors and intricate details that draw the viewer in, encouraging them to explore the complex worlds I’ve created.

In 2017, I moved to the United States, where I continue to create my art and explore new forms of expression. For me, art is a way of expressing myself and connecting with others, and I’m constantly inspired by the world around me.

Whether I’m painting, drawing, or experimenting with other mediums, I’m dedicated to pushing the boundaries of my creativity and sharing my unique vision with the world. I believe that art has the power to move people, and I’m honored to be able to contribute to this tradition in my own way.

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024

Featured Artist: Caitlin Gill

Caitlin Gill

Artist Locale: Maryland, USA

Subject Matter: Identity, Femininity, and Domesticity

Medium: Printmaking, Sculpting, Drawing, Painting, Collage, and Fiber

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

Unicorn I

About “Unicorn I”:

32″ x 24″

Hand Cut paper, Watercolor, Colored Pencil, and Hand Pressed Flowers on Black Watercolor Paper

This work was inspired by my desire to create something whimsical and unapologetically feminine.

Artist Statement:

Caitlin Gill is a mixed media artist living in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a B. A in Drawing and Painting
from Towson University and an MFA in Curatorial Practice and Art Criticism from the Ontario College of
Art and Design. Gill uses printmaking, sculpting, drawing, painting, collage, and fiber to create artwork
that explores ideas of identity, femininity, and domesticity.

Gill’s work examines the patriarchy, the male gaze and gender through animal and insect portraits. The
juxtaposition between lace, pressed flowers, and other materials with the foreground imagery of birds
and bugs acts as a dialogue surrounding how the female identifying artist feels she must be perceived by
society versus her experience performing gender. Using traditional craft materials and skills such as
sewing, felting, crocheting, ceramics, scrapbook paper, doilies, stencils, and stamps, Gill also explores
the divergence between craft and fine art and the implicit misogyny within the distinction between the
two. Her work is labor intensive and acknowledges the invisibility of female labor in the home and in
marriage and the lack of value inferred in “women’s work.” By Evoking ideas of discomfort and
repulsion, she encourages viewers to engage in the inherent violence exercised in the construct of the
feminine.

Artist Bio

Caitlin Gill received her BFA in Painting and Drawing from Towson University in 2010 and her
MFA in Curatorial Practice and Art Criticism from the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)
in 2013. After graduating from OCAD she was employed by Renaissance Fine Arts as an Arts
Administration Assistant and eventually as Assistant Director and Event Manager. After nearly
four years at Renaissance Fine Arts, Caitlin was awarded a position at the Delaplaine Arts
Center as Community Outreach Coordinator where she increased outreach initiatives by 200%
and partnered with organizations such as COIP (Children of Incarcerated Parents), Housing
Authority, ARCH and the Frederick Center. She is presently employed by Maryland Art Place
(MAP) as the Exhibitions Director and MSAC Arts Directory Coordinator overseeing the MSAC
Arts Directory and all MAP’s programming needs to include overseeing their partnerships and
satellite spaces with Hotel Indigo, Zeke’s Coffee, Quinn Evans, and 410 Lofts. Gill is an
emerging curator and mixed-media artist who exhibits regionally and the Founder and CEO of
Goxxip Girl Collective, an all female-identifying art collective based in Baltimore. Additionally,
she is adjunct faculty and Gallery Director for Shepherd University. She also teaches at James
Madison University (Art Appreciation) and Howard Community College (Drawing and Art
History).

April 13, 2024April 13, 2024

Featured Artist: Ashley Tolton

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

“In the Malheur”

Ashley Tolton

Artist Locale: Oregon, USA

Subject Matter: Realistic, Imaginative realistic

Medium: Oil

About this Piece:

About the Artwork: “In the Malheur” is a very special piece to me and one that is quite literally, close to home. It is a location that still feels wild and where undercurrents of the American West still remain. It is a land of rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and mesmerizing sunsets, all of which I aimed to capture in this piece of artwork.

Artist Statement:

I am a mostly self-taught artist, living in a small rural town in Eastern Oregon. As of early 2024, I began taking classes at the New York Academy of Art, with an emphasis on atelier/old masters techniques in both drawing and oil painting.

I’m the granddaughter/great-granddaughter of two famous American West sculptors, whose work can be found all over the world and in sections of the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, WY. Something that has undoubtedly influenced my relationship with art from a very young age.
My main medium is oil paint and I lean towards a realistic/imaginative realistic style on both a large and small scale. My art represents a vivacity for life, a deep appreciation for the little things, and the unyielding celebration of all the beautiful experiences in between. It is an opportunity for me to express and share with an audience, the things that I see and love.

April 12, 2024April 13, 2024

Featured Artist: Girish Jamadagni

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

First Light

Girish Jamadagni

Artist Locale: Singapore

Subject Matter: Wildlife

Medium: Photography

About this Piece:

The award winning picture titled “Three In one” was taken at Masai Mara National
Reserve, Kenya in Feb 2024. Girish has detailed how the picture was made, in his own
words. “We had a long day at the savannah without much luck as all the animals
seemed to have disappeared from the Mara national Park. As the day started to wind,
as a last resort we made our way to the famous Rongai lion pride territory to find
something to shoot. Sun was setting fast and light was diminishing quickly. We saw one
of the three male lions (famously called as Black Rock Boys – BRB) starting to climb a
mound. I quickly took few snaps. I always dreamed of shooting lions against a setting
sun. In a few moments, the second of the three came in to the frame. I was greedy and
wishing the third lions, which was nearby, also to come in to the frame. My wish was
granted and the third too came in to the frame albeit momentarily. I took as many shots I
could before the third one climbed down the mound. Technically it was a tough shot due
to the low light condition, and shooting against a slightly brighter background that
prevailed the situation. But I had my camera settings tight and my focus was spot on. I
am happy with the final picture as it does not require much post processing and depicts
the exact hues of the evening”.

Artist Statement:

Girish Jamadagni, is a control Automation engineer in the Oil and Gas industry, whose love for precision extends beyond the technical realm into the world of photography. With a keen eye for detail and an unquenchable curiosity, Girish has journeyed into the heart of nature armed with his camera. His lens captures not just images but moments frozen in time. Through his lens, Girish invites viewers to appreciate the delicate balance of nature and marvel at the engineering marvels found in the wild.

His award wining pictures are a testament to his dual life as an engineer and a wildlife photographer. Through stunning visuals Girish invites viewers to witness the beauty of the natural world through the lens of an engineer’s precision and an artists’ soul. The pictures are his tribute to the wild, that not only showcase the diversity of wildlife but also highlight the engineers eye for symmetry and balance. In his pictures Girish combines his engineering acumen with her passion for wildlife. To his credit, his coffee table book titled “Mesmerising Masai Mara” is getting released internationally in April 2024.

April 12, 2024April 12, 2024

Pierre-Yves Cruaud

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

“Dans les plis de la nuit 43”

Pierre-Yves Cruaud

Artist Locale: Montpellier France

Subject Matter: Phenomenology of a body

Medium: Photography

About this Piece:

My photograph entitled “Dans les plis de la nuit 43” (In the folds of night 43) is part of the “Dans les plis de la nuit” (In the folds of night) series launched at the end of 2023. This series questions the defense mechanism of a world imprisoned by its nights. Populated by women, men, plants, insects and other elements to come, this world is a prison space in which its inhabitants convulsively wait.

As man is not a self-contained entity, he is naturally caught up in the chaos of an open, infinite universe, in which finding one’s place remains everyone’s struggle. The human body is subject to the movements of this ordeal.

As Spinoza said, “We do not know what the body can do”. Despite the arbitration of physiology, the body fascinates through its defense mechanisms. Mysterious, familiar, foreign, intimate and off-putting, it is the object of this adventure. Anatomy announces itself as the living place of salvation, while the skeleton is declared by Baudelaire to be the “plane of the human poem”. If beauty must be convulsive, let it be!

My photography focuses on the phenomenology of a body with a blurred sexual identity, seemingly imprisoned by its own otherness. Somewhere between archaic dance and tribal combat, this mutant body fights for survival, elegantly offering us the spectacle of an intimate battle with an uncertain outcome. The theatricality and minimalism of the staging undermine any realistic approach, without sacrificing the identification process involved in this image. There is indeed a faceless presence on stage, but I see it articulate and disarticulate in the same movement, and it grips me.

Artist Statement:

Born in 1973, France.

Since 2000 he has written, produced, shot, and edited short films and videos.

Screened in more than 50 countries, several of the films have been awarded prizes.
He composed the music for the feature film Should the Wind Drop (Official Selection — Festival de Cannes 2020) andbecame involved with photography in 2021.

Artist Bio

Awards / Exhibitions / Accomplishments in Photography :

– 10^th Fine Art Photography Awards (Nomination – Conceptual Category / 2024)

– Monochrome Photography Awards (Honorable Mention – Conceptual / 2023)

– EPEX Awards (Honorable Mention / 2023)

– ND Awards (Honorable Mention – Fine Art – Serie Nudes / 2023)

– Sage Gallery, Bangkok (Group Exhibition – 04/11-02/12/2023)

– Bargehouse Gallery, London (Group Exhibition – 09-12/11/2023)

– PH21 Gallery, Budapest (Honorable Mention – Group Exhibition – 19/10-11/11/2023)

– Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3) (Bronze – Fine Art / 2023)

– MonoVisions Awards (3rd Place – Serie Nudes / 2023)

– 9^th Fine Art Photography Awards (Nomination – Nudes Category / 2023)

– The Glasgow Gallery of Photography (Group Exhibition – 03-30/08/2023)

– Black & White Athens Photography Festival (Group Exhibition – 04-07/02/2023)

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024

Featured Artist: Dorothy McGuinness

Discover the Winning Masterpiece

“Oasis”

Dorothy McGuinness

Artist Locale: WA, United States

Subject Matter:

Medium: Watercolor paper, acrylic paint, waxed linen thread

About this Piece:

Artist Statement:

I took my first basket class in 1987 and I was hooked. I continued my exploration of basketry techniques and materials at The Basketry School, in the Fremont area of Seattle. The School became my home away from home. I enrolled in almost every class they offered, whether I could afford it or not. I was very lucky that my exploration of basketry coincided with the opening of the Basketry School.

I enjoyed that resource for about 7 or 8 years and when it closed, Fishsticks (another basket school) opened north of Seattle and my basketry education continued.

It was just a great experience to have all the exposure to so many local, national and international teachers. The various techniques and materials they worked with were in my “back yard” so to speak.

During this time I had the opportunity of working with Jiro Yonezawa, an internationally known Japanese basket maker, during the years he lived in the Northwest before his return to Japan. Later I had the chance to take a workshop at Fishsticks that was presented by Jackie Abrams where I finally found my medium of choice, watercolor paper.

After years of exploring the woven form, I have mastered the art of diagonal twill and mad weave, with which I create forms and structures not normally found in the basketry world. My medium for this unique work is watercolor paper, which I’ve painted and cut into uniform strips to achieve the precision I seek. Approaching my work as a puzzle drives me to discover new shapes and weaving innovations. I am also very much interested in the math and geometric constraints of the work. I am intrigued by the potential outcome of any new design. The evolution of my body of work is built on taking risks, and avoiding the “known”. The risks offer challenges, which often lead to new directions. This is the excitement that keeps me working in a repetitive medium.

I now live and weave in Everett, Washington.