A native of Leominster, Massachusetts, Erik P. Carter was trained in virology to prepare him for his day job in vaccine research, but outside of that important endeavor he also manages to explore figurative oil painting in exquisite fashion. Citing Caravaggio and Francis Bacon as inspirations, Carter’s work is gorgeously Baroque and sumptuously moody, with light and shadow playing a dramatic duet. Since 2019 he’s had several exhibitions (mostly in Boston and Philadelphia) in which he intertwines themes of religious history and homoerotic beauty for a combustible and captivating collection of work. There is something poignant and lonely about his art – a quiet stillness that simultaneously exists with an intensity that finds its tension in the sinewy muscles of human flesh, and the ever-approaching possibility of destruction. If it seems we favor artists for Dazzler of the Day, it is not in your imagination. Check out his website here for a powerful view of his work.
This Dazzler of the Day comes to us from across the pond, where his passion for pottery has resulted in playing a part in The Great Pottery Throw Down and work for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a coffee cup launch for Future Self Coffee/Alfie Deyes, and social media campaigns for a number of companies. This is Adam Johnson, also known as Adam Ceramic, who has made an obsession with pottery and clay into a life-art. With a love for all creative outlets, his pottery work incorporates all avenues and art forms, but the most profound effect his clay love affair came when he was hit by a car in 2007 – a life-altering event that required a year and half of recovery and rehabilitation. It was clay that provided an opportunity for mindfulness and healing, a story he recounts powerfully here. Clay helped bring him through that difficult time, while launching him into a career that is still on the rise.
There’s nothing I like better than a decent diatribe of a little lovely alliteration, which makes Dazzler of the Day Daddy Dyl a natural exercise in dazzling destiny. An artist celebrating unabashedly queer work and leaning into nudes and a natural state of being, Daddy Dyl offers work that is provocative, evocative, and beautifully decorative. As easy on the eyes as it is occasionally challenging to the brain, this is artwork aimed to celebrate the queer experience – with all its requisite passion, joy, connection and humanity. More impressive is the artist’s boldness to pose with some of his works, echoing their themes and confidence, and baring his body and soul on multiple levels – a gloriously defiant stance in an age that wants to shut so many of us into silence and darkness. Check out the Daddy Dyl website here for further evidence of Daddy Dyl’s brilliance.
NOTE: Michael Breyette was an artist who left behind a powerful visual legacy, a legion of fanatically-devoted appreciators of his art, and a world in dire need of his particular beauty – the images of hope, of lust, of summer, of love – and always, even after his departing, of life. It’s been a few months since we lost him, and I finally decided to post a letter I wrote to him after his death – my own way of grieving and hoping to heal, and trying to convey to his husband, and the world, how much he is missed. Artists may live on in their artwork, and there is some solid bit of solace in that, but when you know the artist, when you adore the person, that doesn’t diminish the great pain of missing them.
Dear Michael – Once again I find myself writing to a friend who left this world too early, and once again I feel at a loss of how best to say something that meets the sorrowful moment at hand. Despite a couple of decades of correspondence, I’d only ever met you once – at a gallery show in Provincetown. In person you were just as kind and friendly as your messages – a happy and increasingly rare circumstance of a favorite artist living up to the image and idea of a favorite artist. You were one of the first artists to immortalize me, seeing some bit of beauty in the raw assemblage of bones and flesh that once comprised my physical being. It came at a point in time when I wasn’t sure who I was – and you saw something that was somehow worthy of your artistic pursuit.
I’ve always fancied myself an artistic spirit, but never a great artist. You saw beauty in my words, and suddenly I could begin to see beauty in what I created. The fact that an artist I’d so admired might share a similar appreciation of beauty in me did more for my ravaged self-esteem than just about anything else. Your talent didn’t always seem wholly of this world. It was fantasy and hope and the embodiment of carnal desire. It was both pure and naughty – a celebration of sex, eroticism and lust. Above all else, it was the expression of beauty and love – and beauty would always be your gift to the world. It remains your lasting, immortal legacy – the physical creation of a body of work that makes living in our world so worthwhile – which is why your sudden absence is so keenly felt by all whom you touched.
Whenever I needed a jolt of inspiration, whenever I wanted a reminder that there was passion and artistically-brilliant execution in motion, and whenever I just needed some reassurance when times felt dark or sad, a visit to your website and a perusal of your work was all I needed to right myself.
It wasn’t talent alone that drew me to your creations, it was the heart of the man behind them. Only one who truly loved others would ever be able to so magnificently render fellow human beings in such a splendid manner. That became evident in our correspondence and shared admiration. When you asked me to write a foreword to your book ‘Summer Moved On’, it was an honor, a privilege, and a humble gift that would never quite do your exquisite work justice.
In that work, and in so much subsequent work that would come in the years that followed, your spirit and love for life would shine through. It was a thrill to watch as you gained rightful recognition and success in such a harsh and competitive industry. Throughout it all, you retained your uncompromising vision – portraying us in unabashed scenes of love and beauty and idealism. You put the best versions of ourselves forward, committing them to paper and canvass for all time, in scenes that inspired, moved, intimated, teased, celebrated, and lived in the way that the best artwork does. You did it so well, and with such remarkable consistency, that perhaps we took your gifts for granted, the way humans tend to do when the greatest artists live among us. I hope you knew how much your work mattered, how much it resonated and touched so many of us lucky enough to view it. I hope you understood how much you meant to me, and to so many people who had the honor of being in your presence or the presence of your work. In so many ways, you remain the living sentiment that beauty never dies, that art always matters, and that good people remain in our hearts even after they are gone.
Illustrator and artist Justin Teodoro uses his fashion pedigree to inform his witty and wonderful work, easily earning him this Dazzler of the Day crowning. His artwork has appeared in a multitude of publications including WWD, WSJ, Vogue, Amica, W Magazine, Glamour, GQ, Hercules International Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, US Weekly and OUT Magazine. Most impressively to this Madonna super-fan, Justin played a part in the iconic costumes of The Celebration Tour. His newsletters offer an intimate at his artistic process, with witty observations and clever behind the scenes revelations, giving a fascinating glimpse into the mind of an artist. Check out his marvelous website here.
Anyone whose childhood inspirations were Cruella de Vil and ‘Beetlejuice‘ was born to be a Dazzler of the Day, and Jamie Lee Reardin fulfills that destiny with this crowning. Her exquisite artwork has garnered praise and adoration worldwide, resulting in notable stints with Dior, Burberry, Dior Beauty, Prada, Teen Vogue and the New York City Ballet. With a formidable background in fashion and design, Reardin has translated her talent into illustration, where her unique style and eye have garnered a following from all who enjoy whimsical beauty and fantastical elegance. Visit her enchanting website here.
It’s been a while since I’ve been inspired by a musical artist, but Melanie Martinez has reinvigorated and recharged my inspiration battery. With a gorgeously dramatic visual representation of musical visions, Martinez is as much about evoking an atmosphere and feeling as about writing and singing some stunning music.
Deceptively doll-like, her images drip with exquisite irony, while not detracting from their dark gorgeousness. A tricky balance, that, and Martinez manages it with deft and sure confidence. From the days of ‘Dollhouse’ through this week’s release of her fourth album ‘Hades’ (out Friday), Martinez seems hellbent on staking a substantial career propped up by jaw-dropping visuals and backed by aural audacity – and in honor of this exciting next chapter, she earns her first Dazzler of the Day crowning.
Walking the walk I talked about in this post declaring this the spring of rejoining the real world and taking physically-present part in the action, I made a Sunday stop at the recent holding of A Big Gay Market hey in Troy, NY. The ride over the Hudson River is not as far as it once felt, and as long as you veer clear of rush hours, it’s not usually backed up, especially on the rainy, early afternoon I made the trip to the Mount Ida Preservation Hall.
Once inside, a warm and inviting environment filled with a bustling crowd beaming with happiness at being there greeted me, along with tables of enchanting materials – from cuddly crocheted cuties to scrumptious candles that filled the space with their delicious fragrance. Stickers and artwork were on hand, as were homemade jewelry and knitwear, and all sorts of goodies.
I’m already looking forward to their next event on April 26, 2026 at Washington Park in Albany.
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.
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.
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.
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.
