Its with great sadness that I pass along the news that Rex Ray has passed away. Rex Ray has been featured here before, he was a very inspiring artist for me who was not only a great artist but also a great businessman. His artwork was a fantastic mix of color, painting, and collage.
If you are in the Denver area be sure and visit the Vance Kirkland Museum to see one of Rex Ray’s works.
Rex Ray was 58 years old. He died after a five year battle with lymphoma.
Below a wonderful montage of works by the incredible Rex Ray:
Cecil Touchon is an American painter and poet. Touchon is best known for his collage works that consist of cut up billboards signs.
Cecil Touchon was born in Austin, Texas in the year 1956. The artist attended the Saint Louis Community College, North Texas State University, and the University of Texas at Arlington.
Below a short interview with Cecil Touchon:
Touchon was a founding member of the International Society of Collage and Assembly Artists. He has also helped pioneer sound and poetry collage art.
The artist is based out of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Robert Hodge is an contemporary African- American artist renown for his artwork featuring typography and collages. Robert Hodge studied at the Pratt Institute and the Atlanta College of Art.
Hodge is based out of Houston, Texas.
Many of the artists that inspire Hodge have been profiled here already including Basquiat, Glen Ligon, Mark Bradford, and Andy Warhol.
What inspires me about this artist is his way with words. He often quotes historical figures in his work, one of my favorite lines he speaks often was originated by Frederick Douglas, without struggle there is no progress.
Hodge was once asked the most important activity for an artist to do, his response was “read.” Wonderful, and congratulations to you for ending up at this site to read about art and become a better artist!
Josh Smith is an contemporary American painter renown for his abstract and collage works which often feature his own name. Josh Smith was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in the year 1976.
Smith attended Miami University for two years before earning a B.F.A. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
In many works the artist uses text and also symbols such as leaves, skeletons, and fish. Smith has conquered many mediums in addition to painting including printmaking, sculpture, bookmaking, and ceramics.
In this clip we visit a show of Josh Smith with our beloved friend James Kalm:
Brittney Lee is a wonderful artist working with paint and also collage. Brittney Lee has worked for the animation giant Pixar and is renown for her wonderful character development skills. Lee attended the Rochester Institute of Technology where she studied animation and film.
She has worked as a free lancer and designer for other companies including the Leapfrog children’s education company.
Lee worked on Disney’s hit “Frozen.” She also has created books to go along with the movie.
In this clip we view an original work that is a made of paint and paper collage. Its great to see the piece dimensionality through a camera lens from different angles rather than just a straight one time image:
As a cut paper enthusiast this is one of my favorite clips that is just as exciting as watching Matisse work on a papercut. Here we view Brittney Lee in action as she cuts a wonderful piece of art:
Price range information: Works range from $12 and up for prints on the http://www.Etsy.com website for Brittney Lee. Gallery originals such as the work shown the clip, Pretty in Pink, a work done with paint and collage, cost $500.
Ann Toebbe is a wonderful mixed media artist working with interiors in a flat style. Anne Toebbe was born in Chicago, Illinois in the year 1974. Toebbe is both a painter and collage artist.
Ann Toebbe attended many of the best art colleges in the country including Parson’s School of Design and earned a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Toebbe went on to earn a MFA from Yale University.
What I enjoy most about the work of Ann Toebbe is her ability to change perspective viewpoints. Toebbe does a wonderful job at exercising her artistic license to make a wonderful work of art that is reminds me of the whimsical realism of great Disney master artists of yesteryear.
Pablo Vargas Lugo is a contemporary artist based out of Lima, Peru. Lugo makes paintings and also creates wonderful installations.
Pablo Vargas was born in Mexico City, Mexico in the year 1968. The artist attended the National School for the Fine Arts also located in Mexico City where he earned a B.F.A.
In this clip we watch as Pablo Vargas Lugo creates an installation:
Price range information: Sorry none available.
I enjoy the collages of this artist. These works have a great movement across the surface and also use patterns and shapes that repeat, two great themes in artwork of any kind.
The artist is also similar to Andy Warhol, both spent some time depicting disasters. Vargas Lugo did some works based on the extinction, or disaster of the disappearance of dinosaurs. Very creative and always looking to explore a new medium, a great contemporary artist.
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