I’ve been known to call myself a most outgoing hermit. Maybe a thought shared by other artists, I don’t know? I do love people and being around others, but I also cherish my quiet time to reflect and simply observe the world around me. I do stay informed with news and current culture and events, but am the kind of person who likes to talk first-hand in working to know what is real – the under the skin feelings, and in the heart stuff, that drives us as individuals. So yea, I like to listen as much as I like to talk and create.

Perhaps it’s an outcome of an adolescence where I never really fit into any one group. I bounced from clique to clique in wanting to find myself (I guess, a normal thing for many teens). Or maybe it was the carry forward from a 20s when I was in demand and labeled a wiz-kid artist, my eye for fashion and special effects feeding my ego in my quest for approval. Or could it be the subconscious of a somewhat emotionally suppressed upbringing? Not that there wasn’t affection or that I faced any abuse in my childhood. I had parents who took good care of me, even to the point of spoiling and supporting me in just about everything (yep, even the police raided high school parties and all). But with all dignity recognized to my parents and sisters, deep emotional or spiritual conversations where a rarity in the home of my childhood. And not putting you in the shoes of a therapist, and for the integrity of sharing what makes this creative mind tick, something inside me has pushed me to share this in defining my origins of why I am so fascinated to better understand the dynamics of human connection, and I’m guessing the reason why I got into arts in the first place.

You are an established photographer in the fashion industry and entertainment world in LA, where and when did you start your journey?

I’m the youngest child with two older sisters, one 8 years, and the other 11 years older. There was always a distance between us because of the age gap. Plus, they both left home by the time I was 13, so, in a way, I spent a big part of development years kind of like an only child in a British household (sarcasm, humor, table manners and all). My father was a dreamer and survivor, who as did my mother, lived through the blitz and mid-century anti-Semitism. Their example to me was a blend of move forward care taking, stiff upper lip thinking, and keep-it-quite intimacy. So I learned early to dream quietly, to push through whatever was in front of me, and to be independent. I know… a strange way to answer a question of how I got into fashion and entertainment, but relevant for defining what I do, how I live, what I see, and why I create.

So per that fashion thing? I don’t really consider myself a fashion photographer… probably more of a portraitist, beauty, and observational photographer (and I’m not describing myself as a fine artist for a reason. I’ll get to that in a minute). To start, I’ve always been driven by emotion, spiritual connection, and, for better or for worse, the feelings I absorb from others. Scary at its worst; a rush beyond all rushes at its best. So to talk about my journey is to expose both the blessings and phantoms that drive me in all that I do. If you had to define me in a simple phrase, you could describe me as an openhearted wall dropper– more interested in who a person is and how we relate, rather than what they do or how deep their resume is. It’s weird; I even look at inanimate objects with the same perspective.

Regarding that “I’m not a fine artist” statement, well, it just feels too constrained and limiting. A lesson I’ve learned throughout my life and career, that being, every time I try to categorize myself, I lose myself. And the result, my work becomes forced, and my imagination becomes replaced by looking at category rather than into my heart, or better yet, toward the heart of others. Most likely, (that besides my subsiding hairline); is the stuff that keeps me young and breathing. Never wanting to stop my quest for the unexpected discoveries of life and intimacy in trusting my relationship with others. An outlook that prompts me to reach into my fears and comforts to face, and own, what I intake, see and feel in every chapter of my evolution. The stuff that comes at me becoming the literal source material I harness for all that I do, and in how I communicate with those I work with.

So here’s the strange artistic dilemma, the conflict that never fails me to see and feel the world around me, and better yet, trust and own emotions within myself. As I see it, the greatest key to vulnerability with others, as well as the hangman’s noose I’m always muscling through. It’s not an easy thing to be in the moment in expressing what’s in my heart. I’ve had some pretty amazing moments with people, as well as some painfully embarrassing slip-ups. But I accept this life view with open arms, for I believe that living on the edge of open-heartedness, is where branches to honestly create can grow to their fullest. Best I can explain it. All in all, it just happens, but as I sit here thinking about it, I guess it’s all about emotional integrity (not genius, concept, bravado, or over-production), and with this acceptance, my feeling is, the purest place for art and expression to happen has to come from trusting ourselves. Like I said, not so easy a thing to do, but a discipline I am now just starting to fully realize and own. And per that journey thing, I’m not sure if it ever started for me, or will even end anywhere in the near future. It’s more like a soulful thing that is simply part of me from the inception of who I am. And in that, even when life sucks, I still feel purpose in what I see, do and create. So, I’ll simply say this, The journey is truly the present. I know, sometimes I sound like such a guru!

How do you like to work with models and other creative minds?

Most importantly, I do my best to divorce myself of all preconceptions and predictions. To realize that everyone I work with, just like I do, brings to the table more than what is first viewed on the outside; regardless of what may seem apparent. I like to be organic, spontaneous, and live by the mantra of Less-is-More. Especially when it comes to photographing a person. I think we all have hidden children dwelling within our hearts, and each of us are carrying so many joys and pains that we are dealing with; and, to be able to tap into the intimacy of a quiet moment with another person, is something that I am at a loss to fully explain. I’ve had a lot of people open up to me in the most humbling ways. So in honor of them, I feel it my responsibility to do the same.

Photography is a very powerful drug. I think that’s why it gets abused in so many ways– the “can you drop your top a little bit” stuff that really infuriates me. My role, as I see it, is to build trust and protect all those in front of my lens, in my life, or under my pen. And if I broke that rule, I know I would not sleep at night, and the integrity of my work would cease. For me, it’s all about sincerity, empathy, and honor in viewing others. Models, Creative minds, the guy at the supermarket who screamed at me, whoever; and in that, is the place I find the deepest creativity, peace to openly interact, and ability to be in the moment.

Would you please describe for us the different seasons/phases you have been involved in with your photography? Where do you see the evolution of photography progressing towards?

Boy, you do ask the probing questions. I’m going to take a second to look at this from an external perspective. Promise I’ll get back to the direct answer, just feels a little less self-serving, and maybe a better way to get to the truest answer. I get the opportunity to talk to a lot of artists, students, and creators, in that, 35 plus years of countless conversations and dealing with a vast set of perspectives, lifestyles, and personalities. The full range of what can be expected within the artistic community. From the kind and fulfilled to the lost, depressed, angry, and disenchanted. So when I share my perspectives, know that they are a mix of my own personal observations of other artists grounded by my quest to find my place as a human and creator. I’ve been rich and in demand, I’ve also been homeless and forgotten. Weathered through a lifetime of swinging doors in navigating my own set of personal, economic, social, political, cultural, and professional challenges. Each phase affecting me in all areas of who I am, how I feel about myself, and my dreams of where I am going. Being a creator is a fragile thing, we live in an A plus B never equals C, or anywhere near the same outcome vocation. Add that to the pressures put on us by our own fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams, the opinions and prejudices put on us by the critiques and attitudes of others, and it becomes easy to find ourselves wandering in the weeds. Yep, I’m one of those philosophical guys. The talker and presenter, but still, the social hermit I trust to keep me centered. But here is the silver lining of it all. A consideration brought to my attention by a stranger I once photographed and interviewed on a Los Angeles street. A clinical psychologist, she asked, “how much of what you do you consider therapy?” I’ll leave it at that. If you are truly a creator, you know exactly what I’m saying. So there it is, Again, back to my earlier thoughts regarding the journey. For me, the season is never-ending, and in looking back, all the feelings and knowledge of what I’ve personally been through are all equal subtexts to all that I create now. Per the future, well, that’s an organic thing that only time will prove what will come to be.

You are currently expanding your art to the new horizons of fine art. Would you please tell us more about this expansion?

First, thank you for calling my work art. Some don’t view the photographic process quite that way. And please know how thankful I am for all the commercial projects I have been, and continue to be, commissioned to produce. Also, gratitude to the creative minds, and friendships, who have trusted me with their vision, reputation, and livelihood. But the rawness and vulnerability to create wholly personal works is a truly remarkable therapy that is beyond assignment, storyboard, or layout. And now pushing into my 50s I have so much emotional history to pull from. A gift and responsibility to care for after having spent a lifetime honing the creative skillset I’ve evolved. So in this opportunity of fine art, I have walked into a rebirth of sorts. A release to put my rubber to the road in listening away from all expectations; the ones of my own making, and those programmed into my head based on the compliments and rejections that come my way. And being a glutton for self-growth and a good old emotional shake-up, expanding into the world of fine art is a natural progression for me. I’ve dabbled with it over time, but never with an honest effort. But something about now feels so not forced. And to be the creator I’m claiming to be, to ignore the promptings of my deeper self would be a sin against my evolution. It’s an exposed and financially risky place to be. Yet in the challenge, I have to admit this is probably the purest and most honest heart-set I’ve felt in a long time, and in looking back, I can now clearly see, why I had to wait until this point in my life to start this journey toward what I hope will be a valuable and meaningful chapter.

You are creating a new series of work, called HEAL. Can you share with us what inspired this new series of work and what you hope to accomplish with your message to the world?

I’ve always been inspired by music, something I can see when I relax my mind and close my eyes. I know, sounds so cliché. But it’s a real thing for me, and in opening up in this interview, a part of my psyche I feel compelled to expose. It’s a bizarre thing that happens in my head, it’s not like feeling the rhythm, beat, or cadence of a musical piece, it’s a visual experience. At its fullest leaving me dream like control to create, view, and move dimensional pictures in my head. And per the music itself, I’ve even awoken at night with fully composed symphonic orchestrations building in my head, but without the musical skills, they are trapped there. So with this reveal, can I put the question so many ask on the table? If you could do it again, what would you do? For me, knowing what I know now, I might have studied musical composition. Perhaps I’d be a composer or conductor now. But, no regrets here, love where I am and what I do. OK, onward to “HEAL.”

It started very vicariously as being a father to an emerging and very disciplined ballet dancer; I’ve been graced to meet some amazing artists. And in this experience, I’ve fallen in love with the movement, emotional depth, physicality and musicality of traditional and contemporary ballet. A trust that is allowing me to connect my emotional self and musicality in a profoundly sensory, emotional, and spiritual way, and the deeper I push into letting go to the project, the more organic and personal the project is becoming.

HEAL is a double meaning title, one part reference to the physicality of dance and reference to foot position, but more passionately, the emotional implications of the title. For it is, that in all of us are hidden, unexpressed or dreamed for feelings, and yes, even reason for healing. And who better to emote the fullest depth of human emotion and relationship than a dancer, who in a most touching way, can own and emote a feeling from head to toe. My hope is, that as more-and-more take the time to look into the frozen frames of the Heal photos, that they may too reflect on what they see in that photo. Perhaps better yet, to relate to what they feel from that photo, and from there, to reflect on how they treat themselves as well as those around them. As the title suggests: to HEAL whatever is in need of forgiveness, to accept the reality we are all dealing with a unique set of inner joys and pains, and to be released to our own calmness by knowing that not one of us is alone in dealing with our feelings and relationships.

And as per what the most amazing choreographer, dancer, and my good friend, Shamika Jones suggested as she helped me conceive the project, “There is grace in that.”

What do you like about photography?

A still frame, if not overly manipulated, is about as honest as artwork can become, especially in regard to capturing a human portrait. There is no cover-up for misplaced technique. No secondary chance to replay a moment. And in the telling of emotion and form, there is nothing like the pureness of an honestly captured photograph, and the larger that photograph is reproduced, the deeper it can be examined. The harder it is to make it lie. But that’s just the final destination. What’s most captivating is the process of making that photo. Now, I’ve directed film, produced, and photographed large commercial productions. Told a ton of stories through both still and moving picture. Processes and adrenaline rushes for sure, but again, to create a meaningful still frame is an experience like no other. For me, as you might presume from what I’ve shared so far, the emotional and spiritual part of photography is the drive for why I create. The self-growth and listening to others all a big part of why I make pictures, and admittedly, a selfish therapy. An important corner stone to the person I am, the human I want to be, and my link to a medium that has, and continues to, guide me to openly and deeply look at the world and people around me.

Who is your audience for your photography?

OK, here you go, and perhaps a welcome surprise. A short answer, I don’t know. Like I’ve framed, I’m a work in progress.

Black and white photography vs color photography. Do you have a preference? And if so, which one and why? And what does the choice depend upon?

Without a doubt, for portraiture, Black and White all the way. It does not lie and if done right, captures the purest of emotion and expression. I do like color for drama, and for some of the still life work I’m doing. A little saturated color does a lot to deepen the depth and texture and history of an object (Yes, inanimate things have a connection to someone too. Hey, I can say that. After all, I’m a weirdo artist).

You must be thinking of some future projects. Could you describe them to us? Will these projects involve more fine art photography?

I’m one of those people who has a mind that never stops moving. The guy who writes into the early morning hours, or wakes up at 2 am to take a photo of a plastic gas can. Yes, the dude who can drive his family nuts with what if’s, and did you see that’s. Give me a Styrofoam cup, and I’ll turn it at different angles, look at it in different light, and then make a claim that the cup has a unique history and story to tell. I know, super nutty, huh? But that’s just me. Take it or leave it, and luckily enough for me, I have friends and a family that let me live in this world that I see. Per those future projects, whatever they look like, my guess is, most likely they will be centered around opening conversations which get us all to consider what might be in the hearts and minds of one another, or ideas that push us to examine ourselves, or at it’s least, to make some sort of statement per the impact we as humans have upon each other as well as the world we share. Stuff like my “Dreams” project, where I film people telling about the dreams they have in their sleep, or the photographs of “Rubbish” and “In•an•i•mate åbjekts” that tell of our human footprint and our impact on the planet. Even the documentaries I’m directing and producing focus on what is, “Under The Hood” in each of us.

You host a podcast called Sidewalk Ghosts. What is it about?

Got to say, I love you tons for asking about Sidewalk Ghosts. It’s more than a podcast, it is an effort of purpose that has reshaped my life for the better. And my most sincere hope is that it will do the same for all who the project touches. Bottom line, in 2011 I challenged myself, regardless of where I was, or how I felt, to interview and photograph a stranger every day for 365 consecutive days. Not one day missed as I blogged an essay and the photographs for the world to read and see. Three months in it caught fire as WordPress featured it as one of the top ten daily blogs to follow, and as comments and subscribers from around the globe flowed in, I fell in love with the world. Now, almost a decade later, 100s more interviews behind me, a book written, a non-profit formed, a speaking outreach and podcast growing, Sidewalk Ghosts has become a mission I hope will touch the hearts and minds of many. A community-forming advocacy based on three fundamental principles:

1, “There is an extraordinary story living within each of us.”

2, “If we seek to truly see each other and grow our connections from a place of sincerity, empathy, and acknowledgment of others; what we create, and the impact we leave, will have long-lasting reach and effect.”

3, “Every moment of every day… your individual impact truly does matter to someone else in the world.”

Now as I approach the 10th anniversary of this journey, I find myself grounded as an ambassador to what I feel a very timely and much needed message. One that, as an artist and human, has helped me to be more committed to recognizing what I have to contribute through and beyond my medium. The payoff (if I have to look for one), my life and work are becoming even more balanced and purpose-based. An awakening I have to consider when I think about just how far the works I am leaving behind will reach (ie, fine art, film works, books, articles, posts, speaking, podcasts, and outreach).

Leaving behind? I know, sounds morbid and maybe a bit self-aggrandizing. But in trusting you, here is my motivation. I’m not on a quest for fame or on a downward spiral toward my deathbed. I’ve got a lot of good years to go and am in my creative prime. So to the world, I pledge, “my friends, you’ll see no razor to my ear.” But here is the thing I wish to share with my artistic allies. A notion I wished I grabbed onto in my 20’s (but even then, I was doing all I knew with what I knew). And not standing on the guru’s soapbox, I’m humbling myself to be as vulnerable as I can in this written interview. So, I stand exposed (OK, I hear a snicker from the back of the room in that statement). On a course to do all I can to be true to the artistic, healed, and damaged voice within myself. My integrity on the line as I set an example to my family, and the sobering mirror to do my best to stand with credibility in all that I do and say; and knowing there are only two unavoidable obstacles, those being, taxes, and death, that when I meet my maker, I wish to be as close as I can to debt-free. And in that, to know, that I did my best to honor the gifts of art that I was given; and if lucky enough, to know I have forwarded the same to you. Pass it on at www.sidewalkghosts.com

www.richardradstone.com

The post Into the Mind and Heart of Photographer and Artist Richard Radstone – A Most Outgoing and Gregarious Hermit appeared first on Artiholics.

Before we get into the informational questions, could you tell us something about you that would be surprising and unique? Tell us about yourself and a curious fact in your life.

I am the only boy of a family of eight children. My little 5′ tall Irish fairy mother gave birth to a girl every year for 5 years straight. My father was working as a salesman for a pharmaceutical company. He was injecting my mother with Vitamin B and Folic acid to “build” her blood back up after all those babies. They did not know my mother was pregnant with me when she was receiving large doses of Vitamin B and folic acid. The result was that I had an energy level unmatched by anybody else.

What an interesting start to your life. What was your pathway like to become a photographer? When did you decide to become a photographer?

I studied radio, television, and film at Pennsylvania State University. I worked in local community television production for a few years. I left the industry and returned to pursue neon body-painting photographic art. The pathway to my art I cut for myself. I do not like to follow and copy other people’s creativity. I prefer to invent my own. Perfecting the technique was accomplished with much trial and error.

Please tell us what the inspiration is for your photography.

I like to make beautiful things, which I do through stimulating other people’s creativity and inspiration. Everyone has a creative side. I attempt to access and amplify it through my art.

Describe for us what is “Glow-Art”? And how do you create it?

GLOW-ART is a portal to experience the ethereal through the use of everyday earthly items. It is a God-source inspired photographic art. I do not create it. I push the buttons; the creativity comes from above, I am simply the conduit. I created GLOW-ART.COM to expand the conscious and the unconscious feelings and thoughts of my audience.

How do you create your designs? Can you tell us about your creative process?

To create the design I blend contrasting colors. The contrast between the colors is what brings out the thought evoking process.

You are a photographer and now you are also a fashion designer. How did you connect these two artistic worlds? What inspired you?

Transforming from body painting photographic artist to fashion designer was a financial decision. I do not want to make an income from photography the way other photographers do. I chose to cut my own path. Fashion design I believe is a natural avenue to promote art. The fashion and art worlds are both beauty driven, so merging the two is a perfect decision.

You recently have been part of NY Fashion Week. How was that experience for you and your career?

I loved New York Fashion Week. I love all fashion shows. New York happens to be driving distance from my home in York, Pennsylvania. I pursue any and all fashion shows I can afford and can travel easily. Fashion shows have an amazing energy you don’t find anywhere else. The models, the designers, the photographers, the audience are always very positive and vibrant.

COVID-19 is having an impact on every facet of life. How is the Covid-19 situation impacting you?

I maximized the quarantine time to create, design, and market my product from home. I shot photography quite a bit less and less and built much more apparel.

What is on the horizon for you concerning your creative outlets of photography and fashion apparel?

I will continue to bring awareness of  GLOW-ART to people through fashion shows, and photoshoots with other photographers and their models. I hope to bring awareness of my apparel through involving other more traditional photographers and BY working with models from their area. I will happily bring a garment bag full of GLOW-ART apparel to a photo shoot to enhance the work of other photographers and models.

Looking farther down the road into the future, are there any future projects percolating, either in your current fields or with an eye to branching out even further?

I am building a studio with a dark GLOW-ART studio and other spaces for more traditional photography. In my studio I am building model’s quarters to host traveling models. This enhances the ability of the model and regional photographers to create by having the model and studio in one place with all the tools to make great photographic art.

Ron Vestal: GLOW-ART.COM

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As an iconic fashion designer, memories of Karl Otto Lagerfeld will definitely live on for years to come. The late supreme designer was an interesting human, right from the way he presented himself. His trademark look which would never go unrecognizable, always included: dark glasses, high collars, fingerless gloves and his neatly made – white hair ponytail.

Lagerfeld’s success as a fashion designer is what most people remember him for. Until he met his death, Lagerfeld was the creative director of the ‘French Fashion House Chanel’ since 1983. He also worked as the creative director of the ‘Italian fur and leather goods fashion house Fendi’, as well as managed his own label”.

However, other than making quite an impact in the Fashion Industry, Lagerfeld is also remembered for his art collection.

As an art collector, Mr Lagerfeld was unsurpassable. He had it in him to identify quality work and acquire it by all means, for he would tell something of worth. He once said “It is clever to find something cheap and buy it because no one else sees how important it is. I bought a Steichen print for $3,000 dollars some time ago and recently it fetched $2.5 million.”

His art collecting was unquenchable. With obviously great taste, he spent lavishly on decorating his many houses. Lagerfeld fancied decorative arts of the 18^th Century with a little touch of Prussian aesthetics.

His love for art collection would have him purchase art pieces at any cost; sculptures, paintings, furniture eccetera eccetera at auction sales and galleries in London and Paris. Much of his collection would be of royal provenance; Memphis furniture designed by Ettore Sottsass, and contemporary design art by the likes of Marc Newson.

These collection were sold as whole when he decided to move onto something new, a trend he was so much into.

In 2000, what was thought of as a routine was suddenly put to a stop. The fashion designer decided to sell all his collection. Lagerfeld said he was interested in trying something new, with claims of been tired of the ‘Ancien Régime’ style (around 15^th Century France style of art) and wanted to try the ‘Zen Baroque’ style (17^th Century Italian style of art). However, what would seem to be a more serious reason for his then change of art collection style, could be a record tax bill of 200m francs (around €40m). It is said that the fashion designer eluded paying tax with claims of living in Monte Carlo, but he lived and worked almost everywhere but Monaco.

Christie’s Auction House sold 150 of Lagerfeld’s paintings, in New York and 400 pieces of furniture and art works in Monaco, for a sale which amounted to 150m francs (about €30m).

Some of the things, such as a four- poster bed which cost him a couple of millions did not sell.

In the art world, the German native designer, will also be remembered as big fan of Pop Art and Minimalism. He once challenged his audience’s intellect, imagination and emotional core by creating a crazy combo of Art and Fashion. “The idea came from people who overreact to art today. It’s all become a little too much,” Lagerfeld said.

 Born on September 10th 1933, Lagerfeld died at the age of 85 on February 19th 2019.

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Haven’t made any plans for Easter Sunday? This Sunday, April 20th, if you live within walking distance of the big apple or plan on visiting, you have a unique opportunity to see New York City’s streets fill up with the adorable, beautiful, humorous, and ridiculous fabulousness that is our stylish fashionsta’s Easter bonnets and costumes.

New Yorkers become mobile works of art, walking along Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets. New York’s Easter Parade began in 1900 along 5th Avenue and has become an iconic tradition. Now people gather around St. Patrick’s Cathedral to hear mass and take pictures of the informal paraders.

Outside of the church, people let their freak flags fly.

This parade isn’t about floats, it’s more of a fun way to interact with others. People watching has always been a great treat in the fashion and art capital of the world.

Here, you get to pet someone’s dog dressed as a rabbit, run up to the purple man with flowers in his hair to snap a quick selfie, and take a group shot with smiling strangers dressed as bunnies.

Some hats are elegant…while some…

The Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival runs from 10 am until 4 pm along Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets. The blocks are closed to cars, so it is safe for pedestrians, including children, and pets!

The Stations of the Cross, a group show, becomes the template for artists of various faith traditions to create 28 shrines in two churches, featuring personal relics of their experience on the journey toward death.

On Good Friday a procession will go from Greenpoint to St. Paul’s Church in Williamsburg at 8:30pm. During the procession, lighting of candles, the singing of hymns, readings, and a ritual of carrying a cross from Greenpoint to Williamsburg takes place. Pastor Ben, who’s father is a Professor of Spanish, grew up bilingual. He leads a bilingual, Spanish and English language congregation at St. Paul’s. A French chant of Reproaches is followed by time to meditate on the various stations of the cross. The leads to St. Paul’s, where participants can contemplate the performative reliquaries and meet the artists who created the pieces.

Artists include Aaron Soldner, Chantal Bruchez-Hall, Calla Wright, Andrew Jordan, Betty T. Kao, Baxton Alexander, Ben McKelahan, Raul Barquet, Amy Kienzle, Margaret Semrau, and Rochelle Voyles. St. Paul’s Visiting hours to reflect on the artwork and meditate are Wednesdays: 6-8pm, Sundays: 11am-2pm.

Pastor Ben stands before a photographic installation of an erotic butoh influenced piece, Performative reliquary. Based on Station 2. “Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested. Kiss of Betrayal, Wrongful Imprisonment” playing off of the pain, ecstasy, and will to give of the self and sacrifice for mankind. He is given a crown of thrones, a metallic fluid is poured onto him, covered in a glam illumination of gold, as a broken silver coin is traced along his glittering bloody ribs.

Pastor Ben contributed to Station 1, “Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Sweating blood”, using mementos from his upbringing such as a Day of the Dead scull. Pastor Ben, who was a physics major at Reed College, is a warm contemporary priest. He leads an interdenominational art group that takes place in the church’s bell tower.

He decided to curate The Stations of the Cross as a way for people to become involved with a community minded church. Parables is a outreach project of his with the goal to build relationships in northern Brooklyn through sharing stories, making art, and re-imagining the symbols of tradition through the lens of our lives.

The Lutheran Church is an agnostic faith, the members of the art group range from Christian, Jewish, atheists, to agnostics. On Sunday, April 20th at 3:30pm there will be an Easter Potluck and Egg Hunt at Ben and Elana’s Apartment (they live in a church!). https://parablesnyc.org

Artist / Author Betty T. Kao

Have a great Easter, filled with Parades, Resurrection, Parables, and the cute bunnies reminding you, that Jesus died for your sins.

Written and Photographed by Betty T. Kao

The post Easter: Parades, Resurrection, Parables, Freakshow Fashion & Performance Art – New York City 2014 appeared first on Artiholics.

As the series finale of How I Met Your Mother was airing on CBS My girlfriend Molly and I were hanging out with one of its stars, Neil Patrick Harris. Well hanging out is a stretch, we were at one of the preview performances of the Broadway (Broadway adjacent) show Hedwig And The Angry Inch (possible spoilers ahead).

Molly was in the New York City Rocky Horror Picture Show cast as Magenta for four years, and as she explained to me, the two movies have the same sort of cult following, share an audience, and really are kind of seen as companion shows.

Having never seen the movie the book was written around I went into this totally blind, and was blown away. The songs were legit rock / glam and got the audience’s adrenaline pumping. These were superfans in the crowd, having bought preview tickets, so they (including Molly) were singing along.

Harris plays the titular role of Hedwig, a transsexual Glam-drag (is that a word?) German Rock singer/songwriter who recalls her troubled past and rise to semi-stardom through a continual fourth wall breaking dialog with the audience, as there is no illusion we are in the room.

The entire rock musical’s conceit is that we are at a Hedwig And The Angry Inch Concert as they finally get to play a New York arena. It reminded me of the rock party atmosphere of Rock of Ages, where both shows has the rock band performing live on stage as part of the show, and that they both were singing about a small town girl living in a lonely world leaving their home for bigger rock dreams, but this show had significantly more songs about botched gender reassignment surgery than I remember hearing in Rock of Ages.

I know this is a horrible comparison, Molly told me this multiple times, but it’s the only other Rock Musical I have been to.

Original animation from the film by Emily Hubley

They did some amazing things with a full stage scrim, projecting some traditional hand drawn animation over Harris singing The Origin of Love. Well done use of scrims, much like the way they used it in the revival of Sunday In The Park With George. Molly told me the original animation from the movie looked very similar, but in the movie they just cut from live action to animation (see above) — in the play it looked amazing combined with live performance and live instruments.

Neil Patrick Harris has come a long fucking way from Doogie Howser, and is one of those storied triple threat performers. There are no intermissions, and he is high energy, singing and dancing in super high heels the whole time. It would be a one man show, if not for Hedwig’s husband Yitzhak played by actress Lena Hall.

Who can really sing too, but god forbid if Hedwig would ever allow another performer steal her thunder. That Bitch.

Hedwig And The Angry Inch opens on April 22, at the Belasco theatre and runs till August 17th.  100 minutes, with no intermission

Written and photographed by Cojo “Art Juggernaut”
Video by Broadway.com

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It is a common misconception that art and sports are the most opposite of worlds.  This may have been the case in the original Ancient Olympic Games in Greece when athletes competed naked or in heavy armor in the hopes of winning olive leaf crowns to honor Zeus, but things have changed. The olive crowns have copyright symbols.

AP Photo/Sergei Grits

Every country’s athletes are branded from head to toe.  From their equipment, to their outfits, to their logos, to their sponsors’ logos, their high-tech streamlined speed suits, down to the Olympic Mascots and even the Medals they vie for.  All of these things are designed by artists.  Unsung & uncredited paint slinging, typography laying, color coordinating heroes who from behind the scenes help to make our athletes look badass while they are kicking ass.

Tear sheet via. Vogue Magazine – February 2014

In the Winter Olympic Games one of the most freedom an artist can be allotted (as far as paint-per-square-inch) is in the design of the snowboard artwork for a top athelete. It is really like designing the front and back of three vinyl album covers if you think about how big those boards are, and how much screen time they get.

Bottom of Shaun White’s Olympic Snowboard – Image via. White Lines

When I heard from friend and fellow artist Ashli that she was friends with Derek Nobbs. the artist who designed Shaun White’s Olympic board, I reached out to him and scored an exclusive interview for Artiholics.com  Let’s get the scoop on how he landed the most coveted bit of painted real estate in Sochi.

Never Surrender – Nobbs 72-©.

In corresponding with him he emailed this picture of the painting “Never Surrender” which is previously unreleased and includes much of the board’s top art.

Image via Getty Images

Artiholics: How long did it take for you to get the art finished?
Derek Nobbs: “It’s not finished. I only finished what was required for the board at the time.  I’ve been meaning to get back to working on them so they will be complete stand alone paintings but I haven’t had the time to finish them all. Hopefully I will get those originals done this spring and will have them available to collectors.”

Artiholics: The bottom of the board would have been made up of pieces from multiple paintings I imagine?  
Derek Nobbs: “Yes, I don’t have any complete pics of the bottom of the board. I did the knives one piece and the coolest looking skull on the other. There are two different skulls on the bottom, one with an eye patch and a mustache and one with no patch and a beard. I do have this progress shot which I posted on my instagram @dereknobbsart.”

Image via Cameron Spencer, Getty Images Europe

Artiholics: So your “mostly finished” art is done in what medium?
Derek Nobbs: “I work in watercolor, gouache, and ink.”

via Shaun White’s Facebook

Artiholics: Artists everywhere are probably wondering how you got chosen to do the artwork on the two time Winter Olympic Gold Medal Snowboarder’s board?
Derek Nobbs: “Shaun and Burton dug my work, especially my nautical pieces so that’s the theme they asked for.”

“Sleep With The Waves” ~Mixed Media 12 x12″ ©DEREK NOBBS

“The Sea Chantey Club” ~Mixed Media 10 x10″ ©DEREK NOBBS

(Getty Images – via ABC News)

New York Times Magazine – January 10th 2014

Artiholics: Have you designed boards for any other athletes?  
Derek Nobbs: “Just Mr. White.“

Shaun White Winning The Winter X Games in Aspen.

The White Collection – Snowboard Pro – BURTON

Artiholics: Have you made boards for him before?  
Derek Nobbs: “Yes I made one for the previous year. He rode it in the X Games among other events. The board he rode in this years Olympics features the same top art as the year before, although the background color has been changed to black.”

Skull halftone on board. #dereknobbs #dereknobbsart #skull #twc #burton #shaunwhite

Artiholics: So, what sort of art direction did Shaun give you?  
Derek Nobbs: “Very vague art direction leaving it up to me.  Other than the theme, and some very specific elements like a hummingbird or the idea of a two sided/mirrored approach to the base design. Ideas came from Shaun, Burton, *JDK , and myself. They did a lot of picking out elements from my body of work to apply to the design.”
*JDK is the design firm in charge of Burton’s TWC (The White Collection) which is Shaun’s high end board.

Artiholics: How many sketches did you have to do before you got the go ahead to finish in paint?  
Derek Nobbs: “I did probably did around 30 sketches, if I remember correctly. Everyone wanted this to be the best it can be since it was going to be the board Shaun rode in the Olympics. Ultimately I got final say in what I delivered but there was a lot of push and pull, pick and choose, like there is with any commercial project, but I think in the end everyone was happy with the results.”

Artiholics: Did you get a chance to watch the Olympics?
Derek Nobbs: “I don’t get cable or satellite tv. I did see a few clips online.”

Artiholics: I just read that Shaun White gave the boards he used in Sochi to Make-A-Wish kids after the games, have you heard about that? (click above image to read story)
Derek Nobbs: “I hadn’t heard that but I think it’s great! “

Thanks to Derek for taking the time to talk with us! To view more of Derek Nobbs’ work, check out his website DerekNobbs.com, you can read his blog here, like him on instagram here, or follow him on Facebook here.

Written by Cojo ‘Art Juggernaut”
Derek Nobbs’ artwork was published on Artiholics with his permission and is copyright ©DEREK NOBBS.

The post Artiholics Exclusive Interview With The Artist Behind Shaun White’s Sochi Olympic Skull Snowboard appeared first on Artiholics.

Science and style meld into engineered beauty in this fashion laboratory as the boundaries of wearable tech are tested. Studio XO is what you get when you team world class fashion designers with Harvard educated engineers to construct clothes for the future, today.

Nanobots in your clothes that will clean your hair?  Dresses that change color when you stroke them.  The possibilities are limitless!

Watch the video above to learn how these designs come about, how they will merge with technology to do amazing things, and what sort of clients are commissioning these one of a kind getups (SPOILER: Lady Gaga is one of them). These are all designs that I’m sure The Jetsons®* wished they had been wearing…instead of this shit.

“The Jetscums” I am portraying Gorge’s boy Elroid. *Note, we are cheap Hanna-Barbera® knockoffs.

Written by Cojo “Art Juggernaut”
Video and Stills via our video partner Crane.tv

The post Haute Couture Meets High Tech: Welcome To The Future of Fashion appeared first on Artiholics.

New York – Friday, February 14, 2014

A month ago I visited the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and it did not disappoint.  The exhibit was large and worth every penny of the admission to view it.  Throughout the showing were an array of multimedia mannequins which were both creepy and fascinating, projected moving faces and eerie sound bites accompanied the “almost alive” mannequins, each wearing a spectacular display of Jean Paul Gaultier’s couturier designs.

This is the first international exhibit dedicated to French couturier and you haven’t missed your window to check it out, the exhibit will run through February 23, 2014 at the Brooklyn Museum.   Haute couture is a French term for ‘high sewing’ or ‘high dressmaking’ and is custom-made for a specific customer, sewn from expensive fabrics, and involves hours upon hours of hand sewing.

Many of the Gaultier’s designs on display included a description which included the amount of time a piece took, from 35 hours to 350 hours roughly.
The walls surrounding the exhibit were part of it and if you are tempted to touch the padded silk cushions covering the walls – “Don’t Touch!” will be shouted from any security guard standing near you.  The exhibit covered a wide range of Gaultier’s career from the Bleeding Heart Dress in his Virgin collection to the camouflage dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore to the 2000 MTV awards to the iconic cone bra Madonna is so known for.

Sketches for the design of Madonna’s famous cones are included in the exhibit which is divided into seven themes. A few highlighted are The Odyssey, a fantasy/mermaid display, the boudoir – which explains itself by overhearing an older woman exclaiming, “Oh my gosh, more underwear!” as I walked through the designs, and Punk Cancan, a urban London punk meets classic Parisian style which was spectacular.

Bleeding Heart Dress by Jean Paul Gaultier

Boudouir Theme by Jean Paul Gaultier

Punk Cancan Theme by Jean Paul Gaultier

As I wandered around the exhibit with a friend visiting from out of town, we were mesmerized by the multi-media incorporated within the exhibit as much as we were impressed with the excruciating tiny details weaved throughout each of Gaultier’s creations.

In particular, I was drawn to a delicately crocheted green dress which took more than 300 hours to put together giving the illusion of snakes floating around the legs of the wearer.  The creations throughout were diverse and many descriptions of these unique designs shamelessly name-dropped the celebrity they were made for; including Madonna, Beyoncé, Natalie Imbruglia, Tina Turner, Nirvana, Nicole Kidman, and Boy George.

Couture Dresses by Jean Paul Gaultier

In addition to the fashion, the exhibit also included an inside look into the life of Jean Paul, including a childhood teddy he dressed as a child, photographs, sketches –small windows into Gaultier and his creative genius throughout his career.

“I would like to say to people, open your eyes and find beauty where you normally don’t expect it.” -Gaultier

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk
October 25, 2013–February 23, 2014
The Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY.

Written by Jemile Nesimi

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