Category Archives: Art

Only the very exceptional artists and creators manage to be named Dazzler of the Day twice in one year (see his first crowning here), but as we are gearing up for the holiday season, I look to Michael Breyette to provide beauty and whimsy and the entertaining scenarios that make the holidays ho-ho-hot. He often makes a seasonal splash with his work, and this year’s Hallowe’en work is no exception (entitled Dr. Strangeglove, you must see it for yourself here). 

His website is a glorious repository for his work, and it offers behind-the-scenes explanations of his art and its progress – a fascinating peek into the life of a working artist. Too many people, artists especially, don’t get appreciated or honored as much as they deserve in their lifetime – may this little Dazzler go some way toward recognizing the beauty and wonder that Breyette consistently gives to the world. 

Artist, designer and illustrator Will Bryant channels the exuberance and spirit of the very best pop inspirations to earn this Dazzler of the Day post. With a Masters of Fine Arts from Portland State University, Bryant uses his talent and skill to embody the dreams of his clients, while honing his own drawing, printmaking, painting and sculpture work. Visit his enchanting website here.  

Starring and directing in anything is a feat of majesty, purpose, and grace when well-executed, and in the case of the music video for Karel Barnoski’s ‘November Moon’ Summer Shapiro executes both tasks in magnificent form. She earns her first Dazzler of the Day feature thanks to the precision of her vision, and the hints at physical dexterity and skill that inform her other artistic work as dancer and comedienne. The powerful ‘November Moon’ marks a return to this avenue of craft after a few years away, and it’s a stunning sort of re-birth, more phoenix than butterfly, as one gets the sense that she’s taking fiery flight after burning up the ashes of learning to let go. Visit her exquisite website here. 

It’s not often that I get to say that I’ve known the Dazzler of the Day since we were kids, but such is the happy circumstances of today’s Dazzler Karel Barnoski, whom I ‘ve known since we played hide-and-seek in the streets of Amsterdam, NY back in the 80’s. A friend of my brother’s, he was (and is) about two years younger than me, so I didn’t know him that well, but we spent some formative summers inflicting the usual trauma upon the neighborhood as young boys are sometimes wont to do.

Since then, Karel has grown into one of the most inspiring and creative artists I know, making his time matter with musical composition, musical performance, and new forays into painting and video. Witness and hear his ‘Tiny Telephone Sessions‘ collection for a starting point, and the gorgeous ‘Welcome Home’ album which is an absolute balm on today’s mad world, as well as his recent ‘November Moon’ song and video. Also check out his website for previous genius. 

Artists make the best Dazzlers of the Day, and that holds true for Alistair Watkins-Stuart, an illustrator from Cardiff, South Wales. His work reflects his obsessions of fashion, vintage movies, and a dose of cheeky humor. Founder of Slightly Wobbly Designs, Alistair is an enthusiastic supporter of his fellow artists, spreading and tagging those he admires, which is the ultimate mark of not only a great artist, but a pretty amazing person. (He was the one who put James Falciano on my radar.) Today, it’s Alistair who is dazzling. Check out his work here.

Queer artist James Falciano ticks off all the boxes of inspiration, and for such an impressive body of work the Dazzler of the Day seems tailor-made to honor them. With an exquisitely enchanting website to showcase their art, it seems wise to direct visitors there, while quoting from the formidable ‘About’ section:

James Falciano is a Brooklyn based illustrator. They received a BFA in Visual Arts with a concentration in Painting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2011. Their minor was Art History. James has exhibited drawings and paintings in various venues throughout New York City, as well as exhibiting internationally for the first time in 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. In 2018, their work was included in Metrosource Magazine’s Pride themed charity event to benefit the Ali Forney Center, which was held at the top of the WTC observatory in lower Manhattan. Their work may be found in a variety of public and private collections, including a branch of the New York Public Library located in the West Village.

Currently James’ work is centered on exploring and celebrating Queer identity, sexuality and expression. It has been extremely important for James to create work that celebrates their community and speaks to who they are as a person and an artist. In addition to their own personal works, James has worked on commissioned portraits, promotional posters for nightlife entertainers, album covers and ad campaigns – most notably a partnership with OraQuick, makers of the first over the counter self-administered HIV test. James has been profiled in a variety of publications, including the Huffington Post, Frontrunner Magazine, Queerty, Out Magazine and Bustle. 

A Renaissance man in every sense of the term, Mel Odom is the embodiment of what a true Dazzler of the Day fully encompasses. With a storied career of artistic achievements, he continues creating new work and pushing his artistic evolution with every new project. His portraits include “world leaders, scoundrels, authors, friends and family” and chances are you’ve seen one of his pieces somewhere. (His Madonna portrait appeared in an epic Rolling Stone review of ‘Like A Prayer‘ – and Odom’s take on her revealed the ethereal, mysterious, and bewitching essence of that album, and of the woman herself.) 

His artwork has entranced the entire world, with regular appearances in Time, Rolling Stone, Blue Boy, Omni, the New York Times, and Playboy (where the eroticism of much of his work found happy fruition). Reminiscent of the style of Tamara de Lempicka, Odom’s artistic expression also reaches further back to the gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman mythology. While in less-sophisticated hands it might remove his subjects from grasp, Odom draws them closer to the viewer, presenting an intimacy in the eyes and the gaze, eliciting a sense of mystique in the very act of revelation. Even when the eyes of his subjects are closed, he somehow succeeds at revealing a bit of their soul. Illuminating that connection between beauty and humanity is where Mel Odom truly dazzles. 

{Visit his enchanting website here.}

(‘Charleston’ by Mel Odom.)

Now that spring has officially sprung, it’s just a matter of time before the seasonal flower-fest starts appearing on Kevin Bruce’s FaceBook page – and it’s one of the happier FaceBook pages thanks to Kevin’s indomitable spirit of positivity – something that transcends the boundaries of online limits. So irrepressible is his energy, I can hear his loud glorious peals of laughter now, though I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him in person for far too long. With this post, he is named Dazzler of the Day thanks to that wonderful personality that comes armed with equal doses of talent and entertainment (see some of his enchanting work below). I won’t reiterate the accolades you can find at his original Hunk of the Day feature, but it bears repeating that Kevin is one of my favorite people in the world, and when the world goes dim, he maintains his inner-light, spreading it to the rest of us. That’s what a true Dazzler does.