Is it reassuring or disturbing that pay phones still exist?
Does the sticker art make it mean something more?
Some things are better when amassed in bulk, but only when done organically. You cannot force collective art. And I do see art here.
I should make stickers promoting this website.
Innocent browsers of the Mass Turnpike be warned.
Intense artistic introspection and self-reflection are part of the ferociously fertile ground that artist Glen Pudvine explores in his images. His work is a powerful compendium of self-exploration that directly confronts both viewer and artist, forcing the sort of questionable comfort that we sometimes find in someone unafraid to unabashedly revel in and reveal themselves. Studies of other bodies, other faces, and other bodily landscapes round out the artist’s ongoing trajectory, more than justifying this crowning as Dazzler of the Day.
{Check out Pudvine’s website here for additional evidence of his brilliance.}
Artists make my favorite Dazzlers because they usually see the world in a different and thoughtful way – not that appreciators and non-artists can’t, it just seems to be more prevalent and obvious in the work of an artist, particularly if they capture the human condition in the gorgeous way Alexis Franklin does in her paintings. She earns this Dazzler of the Day for all that undeniable talent. You don’t have to take my word for it – check out the introduction on her enchanting website:
“Drawing inspiration from traditional mediums such as oil paints, I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what digital painting can be. I love textures and experimenting with different ways to achieve them, while telling as many human stories as I can. I started out, as most artists do, pencil drawing at a very young age. Eventually, I dabbled in water colors and colored pencil until I discovered drawing tablets. I asked for one for Christmas at the age of eighteen and never looked back. Since then, I have worked tirelessly to teach myself the techniques and processes that have ultimately led to the “painterly” style I’m known for today. Being entirely self taught has been an interesting journey, but it is one I wouldn’t trade. That journey has allowed me to work with some incredible companies and people I never thought possible when I started posting my works online. Some of my clients include TIME Magazine, Apple, Sports Illustrated, O Magazine, and several New York Times bestselling authors.” ~ Alexis Franklin
Artist and illustrator James Fenner conjures colorful and evocative images that transcend their comic-book-style framing and burst into the echelon of powerful art – inspiring and imprinting themselves into the viewer’s memory – the very best sort of artwork that invites a personal reaction to a universal offering. With Japanese influences and a calming sense of colorful mindfulness pervading the work, Fenner seems intent on capturing the moody, dusky moments of life, the space between day and night, when the world glows just a bit differently and colors saturate the universe in ways that feel surreal and somehow more resonant than any other time.
The eyes in many of Fenner’s pieces glow – red and golden and green – sinister and searching, scanning and seering – they haunt and taunt, thrill and chill – and give a glimpse into each character’s soul as much as they act as a protective shield of charm and enchantment. The mark of a brilliant artist is often found in the eyes of their subjects – how they render the objects that will ultimately judge and react to their work is a telling indication of how they themselves view the world – and Fenner’s subjects seem as interested in protecting themselves as they are in seeing new vistas and traversing new paths.
An accomplished illustrator and artist, with an extensive curriculum vitae of work listed out on his charming website here, Fenner is one of those amazing working artists who is keenly interested in sharing his artistic journey, while also giving us a glimpse of his own inspirations. For those reasons, and the majestic power of his artwork, he earns this Dazzler of the Day crowning.
{All artwork by James Fenner.}
Artists make the best Dazzlers of the Day, thanks to their largely compassionate view of humanity, and a desire to share the human experience with the world. Vincent Chong is no exception, hence this Dazzler of the Day honor, and they have turned their life into one magnificent and expansive work of art. Check out Vincent’s website here, and the long list of work, exhibits, and artistic magic they have created over the years – it’s absolutely enthralling.
“I’m Vincent Ge-Ming Lia Chong aka Crystal Monkey. I am a Queer mixed-race Chinese-American artist, Chinese calligrapher, seal engraver, and performance artist. I am based in Brooklyn, New York. I am a student of Taipei-based calligrapher Wu Wensheng. My work explores the intersection of my experience as a contemporary Queer person with traditional art practice. I make paintings of members of my Queer and Trans chosen family and create performances combining the traditional practice of live calligraphy performance with Queer nightlife, drag, gogoboy, and gymnastics.”
Right when the world needs some delectable escapist entertainment and activity, along comes artist Paul Richmond to save the day. Arriving with not one but two books of adult coloring brilliance, Richmond brings back his popular Cheesecake Boys for another round of scintillating and cheeky fun. This time around he expands the original conceit into a second volume, while adding to the body and age positivity that has been a hallmark of his work for years in ‘Cheesecake Daddies’.
These are darkly dizzying times, and Richmond is a breath of fresh air, optimism, and the fierce ongoing fight for equality and freedom, all done with a sexy veneer of eye candy and colorful inspiration. He invites us to color within the lines, while celebrating those who push the boundaries and challenge hate and homophobia. The artist as healer, the artist as social changer, the artist as a hero and champion for the marginalized – all of it falls within the talented touch of Richmond’s work. Sharing that and inviting engagement is an extra step in his artistic expression, and possibly the most important and profound of what he’s done in his career. It’s what sets him apart from other artists, and informs his work in truly egalitarian form.
{Check out Richmond’s website here for further evidence of his brilliance.}
He captures the people at whom most of us only have the courage to secretly observe. He creates images of the people all of us know, but brings out something in their soul we never cared to notice. He makes works of art imbued with a humanity and grace that reveals how many ways we are all connected to each other. This is our Dazzler of the Day, Devon Rodriguez, an artist based in New York whose work has become a sensation in recent years, thanks to a social media presence that has turned him into the most followed visual artist in the world. Check out his website here for further evidence of his brilliance.
My friend Chris is one of those enviable people who try to make the most of every moment, packing in action and events into every single hour of living. He’s the guy who books his flights at the last hour possible in order to extend the weekend for its full duration. I’m the opposite – I prefer to hear out early to get home and get back in the head-space of the daily grind so as to allow some decompression time. There are merits to both, but on this Sunday following our Boston Children’s Holiday Hour, I decided to give Chris’s way half a chance. When he mentioned he had never been to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, I went against all my Virgo grain and decided to join him on an impromptu Sunday morning jaunt to one of my favorite places in Boston.
My usual time to visit the Gardner is deeper into the winter, when I’m starting to feel the despondency of the season really start to drag us down. Maybe we’re already in such despondent waters, as I felt the pull of needing to be around beauty and warmth and greenery. Orchids against a snowy backdrop will always remind me of the magic that is humanity.
This is the original birthplace of my love-affair with tree ferns, where a quartet of them anchors the central garden courtyard. Scarlet accents of poinsettias, amaryllis, and flowering maples provided a new view for me (I don’t recall ever visiting during the holidays – shame on me for such negligence).
Something was producing an exquisite perfume, but I never could determine its origin – one of those beautiful mysteries that will have to remain unsolved for now.
With the chaotic conundrum that is Christmas buzzing in the city around us, this sacred bit of tranquility and calm, charm and verdant beauty, provided a respite and relief. Shared with a friend, it came with a solemnity that hinted at the real meaning of Christmas.
Chris and I, both approaching our mid-century mark next year, found ourselves contemplative and still able to laugh at life. Our concerns are wildly different from what they were a quarter of a century ago, when a weekend in Boston meant drinking, partying, and losing mornings and often days – absolutely no regrets, for then or for now.
When our time at the Gardner was done, Chris went on to Harvard, I was back on the dreaded Mass Turnpike, and somehow Christmas was back in my heart.
My friend Elizabeth introduced me to Jason Kramer via a Madonna social media post, which is how the best people meet each other. I checked out his charming website here and was instantly inspired by someone who has turned their passion into a career, enough so that Jason earns his first Dazzler of the Day crowning. Don’t take my cumbersome words for it, here’s an excerpt from his website that does a much better job explaining how he made his journey from theatre-lover to costume designer and more:
My fascination with the magic of Theatre began when my parents took me to a production of Peter Pan at 7 years old. I remember noticing that Peter’s “shadow” was made of a sheer fabric; that there was a wire helping him and the Darling children fly; that Tinker-bell was actually a tiny little spotlight that was definitely not kept alive by the power of my applause.
None of those realizations detracted from the magic—what they did do was ignite a creative spark in my brain. I knew that I was going to be one of the people who makes magic. Fast forward to California State University, Long Beach. This is where I started to learn about storytelling through Costume design. As a Costume Designer, I have a unique relationship with the characters I’m designing for. I get to use my tools to share our special bond with the audience. I get to speak to the audience about the world in which the characters inhabit, their innermost thoughts, feelings, relationships and experiences through the subliminal language of costume design.
I find great satisfaction in the collaborative process of design and do my best to instill joy and passion in every project I am a part of. I am inspired by costume history, Old Hollywood glamour, and contemporary fashion design. I find immense pleasure in creating detailed and expressive design that not only informs the viewer, but perhaps inspires the emerging magic-makers of the future.
Besides costume design, I feel the most powerful when I’m drawing—I’ve been doing it since I could hold a pencil! I also love to drink fancy coffee beverages, and binge murder mystery TV series and old seasons of Rupaul’s Drag Race. I believe dogs are the greatest gift ever bestowed upon humankind, and little boys should play with dolls and wear dresses if they want to. I also love pizza and tacos.
Currently, I’m living in Ashland, Oregon with my husband and two cats, Trixie and Pepper. I’d love to work with you—whether I’m designing costumes for a production, working as a Design Assistant, or bringing your designs to life via digital illustration, I’m here to bring excellence, passion, and JOY. ~ Jason Kramer
Rene Farias is an artist who has managed to turn the quiet and seemingly insignificant turns of a day into an erotic expiration of beauty and inspiration. Living out his creative endeavors across social media, he produces work that is as scintillating in its finished state as it is in the process of being made. While Farias has the power and talent to make something beautiful of the smaller moments, his work also explores other-worldly creatures and fantasies, letting loose with images of wild hybrids merging man and beast, minotaur and mermaids, and fabled fairies. In some pieces he treats the human body like an architectural structure – a train runs through the tunnels of two human cavities – while in others trios of embracing men with wings find their legs morphing into multiple squid-like arms. A surreal gorgeousness imbues many of his pieces, bending the mind of the viewer as they try to navigate whether what they are in fact seeing is what they think they are seeing. It’s the greatest trick an artist can conjure, and the trickiest display of talent a human can execute. Farias earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to a consistent outpouring of work that makes us think and feel and marvel. Check out his website here.
“I’m cuban artist living in Miami. I like to explore the human eroticism and break taboos and stereotypes. There is no better way to assert ideas than through art. Mermaids, minotaurs, fairies, snakes, butterflies; recurring elements in my work that serve to accentuate the contrast between masculine strength and the fragility and delicacy that nature and mythology offer us. I really hope you enjoy my little piece of the world.” ~ Rene Farias
The first time I met Jonathon Nason he was working at The Front Porch, and we were on our annual Ogunquit, Maine visit, so it was a very happy time indeed. Since then he’s made his artwork his chosen focus, channeling the backdrop of Maine into his colorful work and vibrant portraits. Today he is crowned as Dazzler of the Day thanks to his consistently inspiring artistic creations. See below for a more comprehensive description of his work and mission, and then visit his website here for an exhilarating romp through his work.
JOnathon Nason is a rising talent in the art world, bringing a fresh and vibrant perspective to the scene. His work is deeply rooted in the rich tradition of impressionist styles, where he skillfully explores the beauty of the human form, the wonders of nature, and a captivating blend of fantasy, emotion, and the human experience. JOnathon’s art is a lively celebration of bold, vibrant colors, often elevated with a touch of shine and shimmer, as he fearlessly explores new mediums and styles.
Hailing from the breathtaking landscapes of Maine, JOnathon’s artistic journey has been profoundly influenced by the captivating natural beauty that has surrounded him throughout his life. Primarily self-taught, he has drawn inspiration from his environment and innate creativity, forging a deep connection between his art and his surroundings. He also had the opportunity to live in South Florida, where he was exposed to the world of galleries and street art, further enriching his artistic perspective.
JOnathon Nason’s art is a mesmerizing fusion of impressionism, fantasy, passion, emotion, and mythology. His work showcases a masterful interplay of color and light, inviting viewers to explore the intricacies of human existence and the boundless worlds of imagination. Always eager to experiment with new mediums and styles, he pushes the boundaries of his creative expression.
JOnathon is currently immersed in a series of projects aimed at enhancing his understanding of form, figure, and composition. He is focused on building a larger and diversified body of work that showcases his evolving artistic journey. In the near future, he aspires to explore opportunities in galleries and other exciting venues.
JOnathon Nason expresses his heartfelt appreciation for your support and invites you to explore his art. He hopes that his work resonates with you and inspires you in some way. This artistic journey is an ever-evolving one, and he warmly invites you to join him on this creative odyssey.
The good news is that Joe Phillips finally has a few slots open for commissioned work; the bad news is that his formidable skill and talent will likely mean these slots won’t be open for long. Phillips has been celebrated on this blog before, but given the fleeting nature of people, and the precarious state of the world, I believe in celebrating our living artists while we can, and while they might be able to appreciate it. For that reason, among many others, he earns this Dazzler of the Day crowning. Costume and play are often intertwined with the life of an artist, and in addition to his phenomenal artistic work, Phillips crafts looks that are worthy of museum-installation iconography. Knowing exactly what features to accentuate, and how to achieve the unmistakable elements of a design to convey precisely a specific character, time or place is a talent that takes years to hone and perfect. It’s all part of the artistic package and the magic that Phillips conjures whenever one is in his presence. Check out further evidence of his brilliance at his website here.
As the problematic world of AI artwork swirls around us, it’s good to re-enforce the idea that I and so many others hold, which is that the artwork produced by human hands and our greatest living artists will never be successfully duplicated by any program, no matter how advanced. Human passion cannot and will not be reproduced by artificial intelligence; it will always ring hollow, because humans innately recognize and resonate with the work of another human. That brings us to this Dazzler of the Day, which goes to Daniel W. Green, an artist whose work bleeds with the fiery passion and exuberance that can only be produced by a real person invigorated and inspired by real life. Green specializes in oil paintings, many of which focus on the male form. Witness his work progress as seen in one example below (there are many, as Green is wondrously prolific). Check out more on the Dan Green Male Art page as well as his eBay page to purchase his work.
Having just finished the magnificently-riveting documentary ‘AKA Mr. Chow’ by Nick Hooker, I am completely entranced by the life-story of Michael Chow, who may add Dazzler of the Day to his impressive roster of accomplishments. Artist, actor, interior designer, influencer of the decades, and restauranteur, Chow has made his name and visage into an internationally-recognized brand and personality. Sometimes an artist is their own living work of art – and those usually make the best artists of all.
Artist, author and advocate Paul Castle has lost 90% of his physical vision since being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an untreatable eye disease. I write that he has lost some of his physical vision, because the vision he carries forth in his life and career is something that won’t be stopped or sidelined by his blindness. A visit to his enchanting website will astound anyone with its notable list of accomplishments and artwork, including his children’s book ‘The Pengrooms’. He lives in Seattle with his husband, Matthew, and his guide dog, Mr. Maple. This marks his first crowning as Dazzler of the Day.
