Risk is a veteran American street artist renown for his work with the alphabet. Risk(y) is based out of Los Angeles, California.
Risk’s government name is Kelly Graval.
Risk attended the Pasadena Art Institute and also the University of Southern California.
As a veteran Risk was among the first graffiti artists to have very successful gallery shows. He took this experience and started his own clothing line with his artwork as the focus.
In this clip the artist Risk talks about his development as an artist:
The artist also has worked in Hollywood in various movie and music video sets.
In this clip we view a great work painted by Risk on a wall that provides optimism and hope for inmates:
Price range information: Sorry none available.
Its great to look back at the artist who were taggers and to see where we have come as far as the street art movement. One of my favorite street artists who works with letter form is the French artist Tilt. Tilt has been profiled here already, and uses his name or other words to make wonderful items including shoes, donuts, and flags.
Some call the artist Risk the godfather of graffiti, but I prefer to think of him as the great character from Harry Potter, Dumbledore! A distinguished gentleman at the height of his powers!
Dicey is a street artist who works in an abstract style.
Dicey is based out of Bristol, England.
The artist has participated in Bristol’s Street Artist event called “See No Evil.”
The artist is influenced by letters and typography, but in a very abstract manner. He has developed his own abstract character language.
He originated in Birmingham, England and later would move to Bristol. Whilst in Bristol he joined the urban art group TCF.
Price range information: Sorry none available.
As one of the few street artists working in such an abstract manner, we can be assured Dicey will jump to the top of this genre. It’s awesome to see Abstract Art in such a massive size.
Xavier Bueno was a fantastic painter working with the figure and typography in his own unique style. Xavier Bueno was born in the year 1915 in Vera Di Bidasoa, Spain. His father was a journalist and writer.
Bueno attended the Academy of San Fernando located in Madrid, Spain. The artist also studied in Geneva, Switzerland.
He had a brother named Antonio who was also an artist.
The works of Bueno that received the best critical acclaim were his paintings of children that took place from 1959 to the mid 1960s. These works have a wonderful artistic appeal as the works show great design with the occasional typography thrown in. Like a Kathe Kollwitz etching the children’s emotions in these images seem to pour out to the viewer.
Xavier Bueno passed away in 1979.
Price range information: Works range from $10,000 to $100,000. The artist worked mainly in oils.
Bueno is one of my favorite artist’s working with kids and children’s faces. The children are so expressive.
Rob Wynne is an American artist who works with mirrored and poured glass often and often uses typography and letters as a subject. Wynne was born in New York City in the year 1950.
Wynne attended the Pratt Institute located in New York City.
Wynne is part of many prestigious collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of Art both located in New York City.
Wynne is a master of the medium creating wonderful vessels and also his very unique typography works. My favorite works of the artist include typography. His own style of typography is a wonderful style that reminds me of urban art and street artists like the French artist Tilt.
Price range information: Works range from $2,000 to $24,000.
Finally another great letter artist to study! Kay Rosen is an American artist born in Corpus Christi, Texas in the year 1949. Rosen is renown for her artwork with letters and calligraphy. I find her works great not only for a tremendous use of color, but she has a great wit about her. Sometimes her play on words doesn’t jump into the viewer’s head, but give it a few moments!
In this clip we see a clever work by the artist done in the Chicago Loop. What a great idea to inspire the young children. Go Do Good is name of the sign if its not apparent right away!
Talk about finding your niche! Letters and the alphabet are perfect for his artist who at a very young age spoke Spanish, English, and Yiddish.
For her collegiate studies Rosen attended Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans, Louisiana. Also attended Northwest University.
Part of teaching faculty at the Chicago Art Institute.
Price range information: Prints can be found between $1,500 and $3,000. Original works done with enamels on board can be found between $3,000 and $9,000.
If you enjoy letter artists as much as I do be sure and check out artists Robert Cottingham, Denis Brown, and Mel Bochner.
In the picture gallery the first work was done by Jack Pierson. The last picture is by calligraphy master Denis Brown. The rest of the art was made by Chris Bracey. The artist sometimes refers to his art as night sculptures.
Chris Bracey hails from the United Kingdom. He is known for his unique style of art. He uses letterform and neon in his works. His works are very modern and contemporary giving the viewer modern takes on old ideas such as the seven deadly sins.
Chris Bracey was born in 1954 in London, England . His work has even appeared in movies that you have surely seen. His art has appeared behind Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut, Jack Nicholson in Batman, and even Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
He got his start with art and neon from his father. His father created neon signs for circuses, various business signs, and arcade centers. So from a young age the Bracey associated smiling faces and his fathers use of neon signage.
If I was to compare his art to another artist it would be Jack Pierson. Jack Pierson is known for making collage works from cut letters. By the end of the week I will do an entry on Jack Pierson as he is a great artist to learn from when it comes to letters and art. He is a master collage artist, photographer, and sculptor? Whatever kind of word describes an artist who works with neon lettering!
Below is a signature work done by Jack Pierson. He also has done many works celebrating the sins of man. Pierson works with neon, wood, and metals.
Below is a clip featuring a show given by the artist on the seven deadly sins. Bracey surely reminds us of the bright flashing neon lit Las Vegas.
In this clip Bracey gives us a short biography of his start in making neon signs with his father. He gives us a brief summary on the history of neon sign making. Neon signs are handcrafted and not machine made. Very interesting! Bracey uses five different kinds of gasses in making neon signs.
Bracey began selling his neon art in the 1970s. He created signs for popular sexclubs in Britain such as the Pink Pussycat Club. This was in the Soho district of London. Soon the artist had his neon art lighting up the space like never before. A European style Las Vegas!
price range info: Most works go from $10,000 up to $40,000.
If you find letterform art as exciting as I do be sure and check out artists Ed Ruscha, Mel Bochner, Robert Cottingham, Robert Indiana and Denis Brown. Of these artist’s Denis Brown is closest to Chris Bracey for his three dimensional use of the letterform. Many times he works in glass but also is a master at using ink calligraphy . Below is a signature example of his sytle of letterform art. Brown has a DVD out teaching us how to perform excellent calligraphic strokes. I found it very helpful for drawing line and slender lines and shapes that you might see in folds of clothing. It also helped to improve my signature as it appears on a painting.
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