DAVID STOUPAKIS

David Stoupakis is internationally recognized for his eerie portraits of beings that appear wise beyond their years and have a certain knowledge of something past. Inspired by strong and damaged children who demand answers to questions no one hears, the self-taught artist adds haunting imagery and grim fairytale-like elements to his work. Described in the press as "a meld between Alice in Wonderland and The Exorcist," Stoupakis' paintings draw the viewer into a scene centuries old where childhood innocence juxtaposes macabre surroundings to produce images not of this world. David's paintings have been exhibited across the planet and been featured by publications including Rolling Stone Magazine , The LA Times, MTV, the BBC, Revolver Magazine, Spin and more; in addition to having created album artwork for bands such as Korn.

 

 

SCOTT G BROOKS

Scott G Brooks’ subject matter ranges from simple portraiture to intricate narratives. In his paintings, he takes social, psychological, and political issues and injects them with a dark sense of humor. Anatomical distortions separate the figures from the photographic ideal, which gives him the freedom to create his own distorted reality. His work is described as twisted and offbeat, sentimental, and disturbing. In addition to exhibiting in galleries, he has also illustrated several children's books.

 

 

FRED HARPER

 

Fred Harper's work explores bodies, machines and questions about what is natural. Each of his paintings is a process of discovery, where he arranges organic and inorganic, with no set conclusion and often disturbing results. His work is a commentary on the monsters cities leave behind. Harper's work has appeared in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Week Magazine, Sports Illustrated, NY Observer, the windows for Hermes, and he's created the key art for Ozzfest

 

 

 

NICK BAXTER

Nick Baxter's technically demanding painting style dwells somewhere in between traditional sharp-focus still life and modern photorealist styles, while bringing in elements of symbolism and surrealism. His subject matter tends to center around close-ups of skin and visceral, bloody macro-scapes, in exploration of what it means to be human—to have a unique consciousness inhabiting a vessel of flesh and blood. Recently, however, Nick has expanded this exploration by incorporating elements from the natural world and images of outer space, bridging the gap between the personal and the universal, between human life and all life. These intricately conceptual and meticulously rendered paintings bridge elements of psychology, postmodern thought, anarchist theory, and interpretations of ancient Buddhist teachings with personal symbols to investigate the nature of suffering, hope, and transformation. Inspired by a sincere concern for the human condition and a deep appreciation of the natural world, his aim is to question familiar assumptions and pierce the surface appearances of what we often take for granted; to create a space in which emotional certainties waver and taste loses its bearings, so that deeper truth and spiritual understanding may be uncovered.

 

 

JASON D'AQUINO

Jason's work is miniature in scale and created on antique surfaces and found objects. The nature and origin of the surface will often dictate, and interact with the image rendered upon it, and no surfaces are ever artificially aged. The matchbook is his canvas of choice because this easily recognizable object lends an instant scale reference to the drawing, regardless of the media in which it is being viewed . Jason's matchbooks and original graphite drawings have been exhibited all over the U.S., and recently at his first European solo show in Luxembourg at Galerie Nordine Zidoun. His work has been extensively published by media including The New York Times, Juxtapoz, and Hi Fructose Magazine. He will be featured in the Bound edition of "Hi Fructose Collected" & Matt Jordan's "Weirdo Noir"; and his Circus ABC book was recently published by simply read books. His tattoo work can be seen everywhere, and he can be found personally at his studio, Leviathan Tattoo, in Buffalo NY.

 

 

GENEVIVE ZACCONI

As both an artist and curator, Genevive has been involved in numerous art exhibitions around the planet. Her oil paintings have been displayed at galleries including Copro Nason, La Luz De Jesus, Thinkspace, Strychnin, Perihelion Fine Arts and more. She has been featured by MSNBC, NY Press, Juxtapoz, Hi Fructose, Coagula Art Journal, amongst other publications. In addition to creating her own art and freelance curation, she has also worked as painting assistant to Ron English, headed the first Philadelphia branch of "Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School", and was the founding director of Trinity Gallery in Philadelphia and Last Rites Gallery in New York City.

 

 

MICHAEL MARARIAN

Rendering traditionally cheerful images and concepts into frightening, yet humorous, tableaus, Michael Mararian often focuses on children as the last bastion of innocence to explore the dark humor behind social and psychological issues. What can on one level be construed as melancholy and cruel, can alternately be viewed as amusing, even charming. He enjoys letting his viewers decide.Michael is a graduate of the Art and Theater program at the University of Bridgeport as well having studied briefly at the Arts Student's League in New York City. His work has previously been shown worldwide at Corey Helford Gallery and Thinkspace Gallery in Los Angeles, Bristol City Museum in Bristol England, Galerie D'Art Yves Laroche in Montreal, Last Rites Gallery in New York City and the Antonia Fraunberg Gallery in Dusseldorf, Germany.

 

 

DAVID MACDOWELL

David MacDowell is a self-taught artist living in Virginia. He incorporates media culture, and social themes into brilliant and controversial satirical paintings. Working primarily with acrylics on canvas, David is not afraid of tapping into the dark side of American media worship. He tops off celebrity renderings sprinkled with crying babies, candy colored nightmares, and a hilariously acidic sense of humor. Some have called his work a virtual "Disneyland on acid". By bravely peeling away the veneer of pop culture, he validates the abused underbelly of society with x-ray glasses.

 

 

JASON LEVESQUE

Jason Levesque, better known by his online moniker "Stuntkid" is a self-taught illustrator living in Norfolk, VA. His work regularly depicts "pin up" style girls with elements inspired by a fascination with natural sciences, often featuring vibrant mollusks and elegant cephalopods. His work strikes a balance between the beautiful and the ugly parts of nature. Jason's work has been exhibited throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Over the past few years his work has graced the covers and pages of magazines and periodicals including Playstation Magazine, Digital Arts Magazine, LA Weekly, Village Voice, Coilhouse, and most recently, comic books for Marvel.

 

 

BILLY NORRBY

Billy Norrby is a New York based artist. After spending several years working for the video game industry, he moved to New York to pursue a painting career. He graduated from SVA in 2010. Billy Norrby's artwork has been featured in a multitude of galleries and several annuals such as Spectrum, 3×3 and the Society of Illustrators.

 

 

PAUL BOOTH

Painter, tattooist and Last Rites Gallery owner Paul Booth has become an internationally recognized figure and a pioneer in gaining mainstream recognition for the dark arts movement. With exceptional capacity to transform horror and the macabre into dark art that inspires even the most skeptical individual, Paul inevitably translates one's innermost fears and poisonous experiences into visual exorcisms that ultimately serve to decontaminate the soul. Paul's unique perception of the world around him combined with an insightful knowledge of art broadens his scope into many disciplines including Tattooing, Painting, Sculpture and Film. While he is most known for his 24 years as a tattoo artist, Paul continues to be revered for his dedication to the evolution of his craft as well as his efforts to elevate the medium into the realm of fine art. Widely considered a master of the art form, Paul has earned international acclaim with innumerable tattoo awards and extensive media coverage resulting in a rather unique global cult following. Notably, Paul has achieved the honor of being the first tattoo artist ever to be inducted into The National Arts Club. Founded 110 years ago, the NAC is the oldest and one of the most respected art institutions in the United States today. Paul's infamous reputation also comes from his extensive tattoo art worn by many famous musicians in the metal scene such as members of Slayer, Slipknot, Pantera, Down, Lamb of God and many more. Other notable clients include Greg Allman and Nicholas Cage. In 2002, Rolling Stone Magazine featured Booth and proudly crowned him "The New King of Rock Tattoos". His waiting list for a tattoo is currently over 3 years long.

 

 

ANTHONY PONTIUS

Anthony Pontius received his M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Kansas in 2004 and has taught extensively at the Des Moines Art Center, the University of Kansas, the Lawrence Arts Center and the Herron School of Art and Design. Pontius creates via a variety of mediums (mostly oils on wood panel and graphite on paper) to create his beautifully apocalyptic landscapes that bring to mind the unearthly works of the great Hieronymus Bosch. Infused with a dark whimsy all his own, Pontius' narratives bring to mind the dark fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. His work is infused with a spirit that is hard to pinpoint, a sort of underlying frentic energy created via his intense layering technique. Beneath the smog defused glow lies a ghostly underworld not that far removed from our own, although in Anthony's world, there is no happily ever after. Pontius' work has been exhibited at many galleries, universities and venues nationwide.

 

 

DAN HARDING

Dan was born and raised in central New Jersey where he grew up with a passion for anything to do with horror. Early on reading old horror zines , comics and books as well as an unhealthy amount of watching television. This sparked his interest in art, wanting to create his own monsters. He spent his teenage years doing art for friends and bands until he moved to PA for quite a few years where art had taken a back seat to life. In the late 90's he began to feel the urge to get back into art so he started to pick up oil painting. Never having any formal training it was a long process but he loved every minute of it. He eventually began to get jobs doing CCG art and magazine and book covers here in the US as well as Europe and Canada. He eventually moved back to NJ where he still resides continuing to paint and work in fine art restoration. However, Dan has never been content with his work " I feel like I was always so suppressed by creating what publishers and game companies wanted to see that I began to get stale with art. I never really painted something I thought was cool. The past couple of years I have begun to paint what is inside me and I am excited about where my work is heading!

 

 

TIN

Working with a neutral color palette of oil pastels, artist Tin creates dream worlds where beautiful women intermingle with rigid machinery. His exaggerated female forms maintain a sensual pin-up quality, while casting an undeniable air of mystery. Combining innocent eyes and soft flesh with manufactured industrial parts, the viewer is lured into a dark fairytale where natural and mechanical elements seamlessly co-exist. Influenced as a child by comic books and cartoons, Tin states that his real passion creating art did not come until later in life, spurned by a brush with his own mortality: "I sketched from time to time and did ok in high school art class. Then I became a fisherman, like the kind out of the movie Perfect Storm. I almost died three times and should have lost my drawing hand at least a dozen times. After my last close call with death I decided to become an artist." Tin went on to do commercial and pin-up art for 7 years, but his art took a turn as he felt unchallenged with what he was creating. He says "The art I was doing had no heart. So one day I was finishing a pin-up girl and I remember saying out loud to myself 'If I only had a heart'- which reminded me of the Tin Man from The Wizard Of Oz. At that moment I decided to do more interesting works and call myself Tin."

 

 

DAN DOS SANTOS

Known for his colorful oil paintings, most often depicting strong women, Dan dos Santos' work spans a variety of genres including novels, comics and film. He has worked for clients such as Disney, Universal Studios, Saatchi & Saatchi, Scholastic Books, The Greenwich Workshop, Penguin Books, Random House, Tor books, UpperDeck, Wizards of the Coast, and DC Comics. Dan has been the recipient of many awards. Recently, he has received the 2007 Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist, and was the Chesley Award winner for Best Paperback Cover of 2007, and in 2010 was a Silver Medal winner in Spectrum 18. His illustrations have graced the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list numerous times.

 

 

BRIAN DESPAIN

"I love art. I love looking at it, I love talking about it and I certainly love making it, so it’s really no surprise that art would be my chosen profession. From early on there really wasn’t any doubt that a career in art was the direction I was headed. I was hardly interested in anything else and a lion’s share of my childhood was spent with my head in the clouds, doodling a veritable army of dinosaurs, space ships, demons and imps. Even much of my later schooling was spent failing other useful but mundane subjects like chemistry, math and english while art was the one area that I excelled at. College was hardly different, I spent six years finding myself and taking a lot of classes before graduating with a BFA. Documented and dedicated to my chosen profession I set out to make my veritable mark on the world. Since then I’ve held all sorts of jobs, from graphic designer to 3D modeler, photo-retoucher to illustrator. I’ve studied, learned, grown and spent a lot of time as a professional artist making a decent living doing art, but in all that time and through all those jobs I’ve learned one all important thing. It was the time I spent, like the kid at the kitchen table, creating art for no other reason than sheer wonder of it all, that I was happiest. No matter the piece or the end result it’s the art that we do for ourselves that wholly reflects us as people. It is that art which is purest, it isthat art which holds the most magic, it is that art which connects on the deepest level and it is that art that this site is all about.."

 

 

BEAU STANTON

Beau Stanton explores the dynamic between graphic iconography and classicism, juxtaposing apocalyptic imagery with the aesthetic excess of Victorianism in order to synthesize organic and ornamental into a coherent post millennial point of view. Stanton fuses elements of 19th century letterpress printing designs with masterful figurative oil painting, embellishing and manipulating focus, light and perspective. A member of the third generation of Pop Surrealism, Stanton hails from California and was influenced heavily by Realist painters Andrew Wyeth and Alphonse Mucha as well as the Aesthetic Movement of the Late 19th Century. He relocated to New York after graduation in 2008, and has since been mentored by New York Pop Surrealist Ron English. Beau Stanton has shown work with Ad Hoc Art, Gallery Hijinks, Opera New York, and Last Rites Galleries and is currently preparing for his New York solo debut at Bold Hype Gallery.

 

 

JENNYBIRD ALCANTARA

"Through my paintings I am contemplating the interconnectedness of opposites as seen through the prism of myth fable and dream. The anthropomorphic qualities in my characters show the relationship of the central figure to the world she inhabits. My work speaks to the multiplicity of the human condition and dueling aspects often found within the works illustrate this dialog. I use the symbolism of duality to explore the connection of life and death and the veil in between, as well as the relationship between the beauty and cruelness of nature, that of the natural world as well as human and animal nature. I'm intrigued by iconic, saintly and heroic characters and compositionally in my works the main character often takes up much of the landscape, they figuratively hold the world and often within the space of the human/animal body, she becomes the dream within the dream. She is a heroine, warrior and lamb, she is a creature of hybrid fairy tales reconfigured and retold but in my narative she doesn't leave her weapons at home when venturing into the deep dark woods."

Jennybird received her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute her work has been exhibited broadly in the US and Europe. Her work has been published in the Hi Fructose Box Edition Set 1, La Luz De Jesus 25, Ideafixa Greatest Hits, The Age of Feminine Drawing, several small publications as well as Hi Fructose, Juxtapoz , Raw Vision, Inked and Art Doll Quarterly magazines.

 

 

STEFANO ALCANTARA

Stéfano Alcántara was born and raised in Lima, Peru. His education began with a degree in Graphic Design at the Peruvian Institute of Advertising. He also took painting classes and was influenced by comic books when he was a child. His love for drawing translated in various media, including airbrushing, color pencils, charcoal, acrylics and oil. He was introduced to the world of tattooing at age 18 by the first tattoo magazine he ever saw, found at a flea market in Peru. His fascination with the art turned into a career; he opened his own shop, Stefano´s Tattoo Studio, in 1999 and it is still in business today. Self-taught in the art of tattooing, Stefano dedicated millions of hours traveling the US for conventions, which ultimately helped him realize his unique realistic style. Stefano's greatest artistic influence is his Great Grandfather, Jose Alcantara La Torre, whose style is inherently similar to his own. As with various forms of media, Stefano does not see art as a business. In terms of tattooing, the human skin is a unique canvas that allows him to create a permanent mark in someone's life. ¨That, for me, is what tattoos are all about.¨ In March 2009, he was invited for a guest spot at Paul Booth´s studio, and shortly thereafter, he became part of the family at Last Rites Tattoo Theater in NYC.

 

 

EWELINA

Ewelina was born in Wroclaw Poland in 1981. Her family immigrated to the United States when she was just 3 years of age, making their home in Mahwah New Jersey. From time immemorial, equipped with her trusty pencil, she has filled her sketchbooks with images flowing from the unconscious, creating worlds of infinite possibility. After Graduating from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2003, she began to explore her own spiritual journey through life with painting. She has shown her paintings in galleries from coast to coast. Based in New York City, Ewelina continues to chronicle her personal evolution on paper and canvas.

 

 

BUDDY NESTOR

Buddy was born and raised in Collingswood, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a Latch-Key Kid during the birth of cable TV. This led to endless hours in front of the television, watching movies and drawing. He gravitated toward strange cult and horror films. As a skateboarder in the late 80's and early 90's, he was exposed to Punk, Indie, and Heavy Metal music. In 1997, after the birth of his son, Buddy decided to teach himself to paint. In 1999, he traveled around the world on an aircraft carrier and painted every day. This was critical in his development as an artist. Presently, he drinks beer and paints in his basement. "My latest series of paintings are portraits of female artists. These physical and psychological images are my attempt to capture the true nature of humanity. They are spiritual X-Rays. The models that I use in my work are all beautiful women. However, there is nothing beautiful about the portraits I create."

 

 

MIA ARAUJO

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mia Araujo has long been fascinated by stories and characters, and the multi-faceted complexity that makes each person unique. Mia believes that all individuals contain an entire universe within them, which is invisible to the naked eye. Her work concentrates on giving shape to the unseen forces within her subjects— their thoughts, memories, emotions, and complex histories. These qualities fit together to form a vast, rich inner-landscape of identity and mythology for her characters. Mia draws inspiration from everything, but especially fairy tales, performance art, vintage photography, music, literature, animation, and world cultures. In May 2007, Mia Araujo graduated as valedictorian from Otis College of Art and Design, with a BFA in Illustration and a minor in Creative Writing. The 23-year-old currently shows her work in prominent pop-surrealist galleries across the US. Her work has been published in Imagine FX, Spectrum, Juxtapoz Magazine, Society of Illustrators LA, and the Creative Quarterly.

 

 

TIMOTHY BOOR

"I was born in 1975 and was raised in Kokomo IN, were I live with my wife and three children. I have been drawing every since I was able to hold a crayon. As a child, I was introduced to the works of the great masters by my mother, who recognized my love for the arts. I watched Bob Ross religiously, and at the age of 10 began taking private oil painting lessons from a local gallery. That was the beginning of a passion for art that has lead me as far as Florence, Italy to study renaissance drawing/painting techniques with world renown portrait painter Robert Liberace. My list of artistic influences are too big to name. My goal is to push myself as far as my abilities will take me, and to create wonderful works of art on skin and canvas."

 

 

VINCENT CASTIGLIA

Castiglia's paintings are monochromatic tableaux examining life, death, and the human condition. The images themselves, as he sees them, form as crystallizations of his experiences, freed from the psyche; the viewer is not only allowed to see into the figure, but also through it, into a deeper psychological world. Vincent Castiglia is the 1st American artist to receive a solo exhibition invitation from Oscar Award-winning artist H.R. Giger in the history of the H. R. Giger Museum Gallery. The exquisite museum, located in the Château St. Germain (Gruyeres, Switzerland), furnished a cordial reception for Castiglia's inaugural body of work, Remedy for the Living. Remedy for the Living, the 1st solo exhibition of paintings by Vincent Castiglia opened on November 1st 2008 and ran for 6 months, closing in April of 2009. 2010 marked the Film and Music debut for Castiglia's art. MTV New Media's Horror-Slasher Film, "Savage County", features as it's official movie poster a painting by Vincent Castiglia, depicting the three murderers in the film. The film, directed by David Harris, also features producers David Gale (Varsity Blues) and Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow). Leading the cast is Mimi Michaels (Boogeyman 3). Savage County is described as a tribute to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Earlier in the year, Castiglia painted album art for Triptykon's 2010 debut release, "Eparistera Daimones". The group is founded by former Hellhammer / Celtic Frost singer and guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer. The album's art is an amalgamation of works by HR Giger (cover art), Vincent Castiglia (interior art), and Triptykon on "Eparistera Daimones", which conceptually is understood to form a creative triptych in itself. His work hangs in many distinguished international collections; one of his most celebrated works of 2006, "Gravity" was recently acquired by Rock legend Gregg Allman. Castiglia's paintings have been exhibited at museums and galleries in the US and internationally in addtion to having been featured by media including New York 1 News, Spike TV, The Discovery Channel, and The Science Channel.

 

 

ANGIE MASON

Angie Mason is a New Jersey based artist, who visually explores the darkness and light we face in life through the creation of character narrative works. Primarily she presents the work as paintings and drawings. Focusing on twisted combinations and dual opposites (such as sweet vs. sour, happy vs. sad or life vs. death) she paints truths about being human. Varied influences are found within her work ranging from such things as nature,love, relationships, dreams, memories, humor, loss and health to name a few. These mixed influences cause a balance of light and dark that intermingle with each other creating a visual playground, bringing to life quirky characters that are beautifully rendered yet with a painterly hand giving them an innocent raw touch. Mason's works are both horrific and humorous, yet speaks of what it means to be human. "Much of the work reflects how I navigate life within our modern world. My work often stems from personal life experiences, dreams, memories ,fairy tales, to the world's current events and state of things. Everything I encounter, I filter through as an ingredient toward cooking up my personal visions which have a flavor I like to refer to as Grotesque Folk Pop." Angie Mason studied & received her BFA from Parsons School of Design in NYC. Her artworks have garnered her attention from publishers and collectors alike, such as The New York Times, actress and poet Amber Tamblyn and the multifaceted Aprella among them. Her list of expanding accolades range from the 'EdgyCute' art survey book by Harry Saylor and the collaboration 'Feedback Project' where Adrian Stout of The Tiger Lillies, composed original music based on Mason's artwork. Mason was also part of the 23 world renowned artists chosen to be a part of the critically acclaimed Lowbrow Tarot Project exhibition ( 2010) and book (2012). Mason also brings her social and environmental awareness to the public through various charity art shows such as the Whaleless Exhibition which toured throughout Germany and Italy and showcased at the Milan Civic Aquarium to more local benefit shows for the Japan Relief effort at Sacred Gallery and The Dear Japan Project in New York City.

 

 

CHRIS MARS

Chris Mars' work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the world as well as in museums including The Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Minnesota History Center, The Longview (Texas) Museum of Fine Art, The Erie Art Museum, The Steensland Art Museum, The Frederick Weisman Art Museum, and The American Visionary Art Museum and Art Center of South Florida. Chris' paintings can also be found in many prestigious public and private collections. In addition to his work as a visual artist, Mars is an accomplished musician- founding the band The Replacements, and also having recording two acclaimed solo albums.

 

 

JOKA

JoKa is a Philadelphia based painter specializing in hyper-pointillism, using toothpicks as his sole form of paint application. Using collage, he skews and distorts, pushing familiar images into the surreal. He has been exhibiting his work since 2005 across the country as well as internationally, and in national art publications. In true "necessity is the mother of all invention" fashion, his unique method was developed in lieu of learning how to silkscreen, but instead developing a technique to provide the same desired effect, by dotting black over solid color backgrounds. Extrapolating on that practice, he decided to execute more fleshed out and multi-layered pieces of art, in an effort to update and showcase an underused and, nowadays, academic form of painting. Using such a regulated and precise technique leaves no inch of surface without extreme care to detail, and the works beg for closer and repeat inspections.