Information Overload: The Wired Art of Jason Jägel

At first glance the artwork of San Francisco-based artist Jason Jägel looks jumbled, chaotic, and almost intimidating in the way that they dare you to look deeper. Which makes his work, to me at least, a perfect reflection of the complexities of society in this Twenty-first Century, with it’s information overload and layers upon layers of 24/7 news, images, sensations and feelings. Like life in these ultra-modern times, there’s a lot going on here, almost too much to comprehend at first. As such, the viewer is rewarded with repeated, closer inspection of his work.

Working mostly in gouache, ink and pencil on paper, his comic book influences are evident. In his words, “Employing the syntax of comics and the language of painting, I seek the creation of open-ended signs: where my imagination response is multiple, slippery and perpetually in motion.”

Layered, complex, humorous, daunting but ultimately engaging and thought-provoking, ladies and gentlemen, here’s the multi-layered art of Jason Jägel.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Color

Colorful … or scary? You be the judge!

Less Is More: The Minimalism of Evah Fan

Maybe it’s just the mellow mood I’ve been in since returning from Sydney, but lately I’ve taken a departure from extreme surrealism in favor of a more minimal and dreamy but no less puzzling forms of art. The work of Berkeley, CA-based artist Evah Fan captures that look perfectly.

Fan’s delicate gouache paintings are at once narrative, poetical and minimalistic. Her sparse and colorful compositions contain elements of nonsense, mystery, and whimsy. Fan tackles mundane objects and figures in negative planes, throwing in elements of parody and irony that address a certain naïve humor.

According to the art and music website Hometapes, Evah Fan was born in Southern California in 1980, yet is fond of cold climates and is a big fan of the Cape Dorset Inuit artists. According to her Facebook page, her name pronounced in Swedish sounds like “what the hell.” Not surprising as she spent a few years living and creating in Stockholm before settling in the Bay Area. She has a whiny cat named Jalapeño “who is the man of the house.”

Ladies and gentlemen, the minimal weirdness of Evah Fan.

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors

The pic above might lead you to believe that San Francisco was about to be struck by a meteor! But it’s all smoke and mirrors, folks, courtesy of a crappy iPhone pic. Below is what the scene actually looked like.

For more mind-bending pics, check out Ailsa’s Travel Theme at Where’s My Backpack?

Multiple Visions: The Space Age Art of Alec Huxley

This week I’m featuring the work of San Francisco-based painter, photographer and graphic designer Alec Huxley. I first saw his work at the Minna Gallery here in the city, and I was attracted to strong use of light and shadow, his clever play on retro-style film and advertisements,  and the fact that his work captures the streets of San Francisco in weird and fantastical settings.

Conceptually and stylistically, Huxley’s work bears a resemblance to that of Australian artist Jeremy Geddes, whose work I highlighted in October. Like Geddes, Huxley features people in astronaut suits presented in a style that blurs the line between photography and painting. But whereas Geddes works in his one inimitable style, Huxley displays an astonishing array of styles and influences, everything from space age astronauts in eerie, sometimes threatening urban settings to film noir to Saturday matinee creature features.

Filled with contrast, his work is primarily figurative. Bleak yet colorful, it focuses on urban and desert landscapes of the American West Coast and classic Americana. A sinister air hangs over much of his work, perhaps a nod to the pulp fiction noir that is an obvious influence. His work has a strong cinematic quality, and it would be interesting to see some of these scenes come alive.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the space age art of Alec Huxley.

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Time

“Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’… into the future.”

What time is it? Time to check out Ailsa’s Travel Theme at Where’s My Backpack!

It’s National Puppy Day!!!

Hey everybody … it’s March 23, and you know what that means! That’s right; it’s National Puppy Day 2013!!! Founded in 2005, National Puppy Day is intended to bring awareness to orphaned puppies in need of loving homes, and who’s not down with that? It also offers an excuse to go all golly-gee at a lot of pics of adorable pups, like you need an excuse to do that!

That being said, thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle, here are 37 pics of the cutest pooches EVER! You can enter your own puppy’s pic to this gallery if you feel your little guy or gal deserves that distinction. And if you’re thinking of bringing a puppy home, or adding to your brood, please check out rescue and shelter dogs. They need love, too, maybe more than most!!!

Soft Focus: The Dreamy Art of Maurizio Lanzillotta

I was passing by the CK Contemporary Gallery in San Francisco’s Union Square this past weekend when I noticed the intriguing art of Mauricio Lanzillotta in the front window. I was unfamiliar with the art of this Spanish painter, and the dreamlike quality of his work and the gentle pastel colors therein evoked a sort of peacefulness, like I was strolling through a dream. I, of course, had to go in and check it out.

Mauricio Lanzillotta was born in Campobasso, Italy before settling in Spain. He is greatly influenced by the landscape of his home and of his adopted country, infusing his works with the sense of thick fog and diffused light he fondly remembers from his childhood. Rabbits, trees, clouds and goldfish also figure prominently in his work. Working with oils on canvas, the semi-translucent quality of his canvasses and the broad sense of perspective account for the seductive and calming nature of his paintings. It’s hard not to get carried away in the dreamy landscapes he creates.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the gently seductive art of Mauricio Lanzillotta.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew

I’m not sure if this stew could be termed an actual Irish stew, which I believe involves lamb rather than beef, but I made it on St. Patrick’s Day, and that’s close enough for me. Stew of any kind is one of my favorite meals — it’s just hearty and filling, the epitome of comfort food. Throw in a loaf of bread of some type (sourdough for us lucky San Franciscans, something else for those less fortunate) and that’s comfort, baby!

This is a really simple recipe that involves some prep work, which is okay, because once you’re done the crock pot does the rest … for the next eight hours! I like my stew on the thickish side, so about an hour before it’s done I’ll mix flour with hot liquid from the stew, pour it in and turn the heat up to high. I throw peas on topping after serving because that’s just the kind of guy I am!

I usually like to carp on the nutritional value of the recipes I post, but in the case of comfort food like this, who really cares? Sometimes you just let some things slide, and just enjoy.

Anyway, here’s how to make my kinda, sorta Irish stew.

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Green

There was lots of the wearin’ of the green (and lots of the drinkin’ of the green … I think that’s beer) at San Francisco’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Here’s a sample!

To see more green, check out Ailsa’s Travel Theme at Where’s My Backpack?