Listings in Illustration

Hang for Graphite Dirk started to draw when he was very young. Due to his Love for Comics and Fantasy-Films, he drew a lot of Fantasy Pictures. Sometimes, even though he dindn't like it as much, he drew also some Buildings, Flowers etc. In his Schooltime he developed his Hang for Graphite Drawings, and tried out all kinds of other Styles, for example Water-Color Paintings, but he knew, Graphite would allways be his personal favourite. Because of his Work and his Education, between the Years 1992 and 2000 only very few Pictures were finished. He didn't have the Time, nor could he concentrate on his Art as much as he would have liked to. In 1996 Dirk began his Studies of Architecture in Hannover. Within theses Studies there were offerd some Drawing and Painting Courses, which he attended full of Expectations. And he started Drawing again, in his free Time, too. Due to the Studies of Architecture most of the Works were Buildings, interior Designs and Landscape Drawings. In some of his Arts his Fantasy Influences, which he still had, were placed into the Drawings, and some of his Professors were confronted with some abnormal Drawings of Buildings. In these Times there were some Courses offered, where the Students could draw nude Men and Women, and it was then, when Dirk started to realize, that Pin-Up Drawings combined with some Elements of Fantasy, was the really right thing for him to do. The Fantasy in his Mind and the esthetic Bodies of beatuiful women were just the right Combination for Dirk. Some normal Pin-Ups and some Fantasy were finished at the End of his Studies. Now Dirk still tries out a lot of different Styles and Composions. He is eger to learn more and to perfect his own Style. Dirk never, except for the Courses in his Studies, learned to draw professionally. Only his Talent and his Passion for the Art lets these amazing Drawings come into Being.

Very Organic Creative Process David knew from a very early age that he was an artist, and has always earned his living through art. In his early years he set up a business painting signs and he occasionally taught art, but he is proud of the fact that he never had a "real" job. Where does David get his ideas? This is always a difficult question to answer. The best ideas always spring from sources unknown. But certainly ones milieu and interests play a part. David is an avid film and theater goer. He also loves Shakespeare and attends the festivals. He listens to music while he paints (from Mozart to Gershwin to Randy Newman) and he is an avid reader (favorite authors include Samuel Beckett, John Cheever, Edith Wharton, and Alan Bennett.) These influences often find their way into his paintings. Typically, he hears a phrase in a play or a passage of music and feels compelled to translate the idea into a visual form. But, his creative process is very organic and often his finished paintings are quite different from his original conceptions. Why does he use so many "animal" characters in his picture books? David paints anthropomorphized animals to suggest human characteristics. An animal can be a great form of shorthand for personality types. When we say that someone moves like a cat or acts like a weasel, others understand us perfectly. While his picture books are enjoyed by children, they are actually written for adults. David believes that the best children's stories are meaningful at any age, and numbers among his personal favorites Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan and Wind In The Willows. WORKING METHODS: How long does it take David to complete a painting? This continues to be the most common question David is asked at signings. But the answer depends upon when one decides a painting begins. Is it when the idea begins to take shape or when the brush first meets the canvas? Some ideas arrive suddenly while others percolate for weeks, months, or even years. When they finally arrive fully formed, the actual painting is achieved remarkably quickly. While a typical painting might be completed in a week, some of his finest work has been completed in less than a day. What mediums does he use? In his early years, David painted in gouache (an opaque water-based medium) but he discovered that acrylics offered more luminosity, resulting in higher quality reproductions. Today he also works with oil paints which provide more texture and depth than acrylics. Oils also slow him down, keeping him more aware of the painting process. Most often he uses both, using acrylic for underpainting and oil for detailing, and he sometimes adds other mediums such as colored pencil or oil pastels. He's very flexible, allowing the painting to dictate the medium. The one medium he never uses is the computer. Does he use models? Models are essential to David's work as he prefers artificial light for its dramatic theatrical properties, and often requires unusual poses. He finds almost all of his models on the street or working in local shops and restaurants. (The model for his Cinderella book, for instance, was a waitress from the local Cup and Saucer Cafe.) INFLUENCES: Which artists have influenced David's work? David admires some artists for technique and others for imagery. He likes the technique of Parrish and Sargeant, for example, and the imagery of De Chirico and Seurat. He admires Edward Hopper on both levels. He also enjoys the Medieval school of painting for its tableaus and stylization. Any other influences? Film, theater, and music each influence David's work, though it's impossible to say exactly how. Whie we were attending an opening in Bethesda, a Mensa member casually noted, "I can see David listens to a lot of Mozart." When I asked him why he thought this, he shrugged his shoulders, and answered, "It's obvious from looking at the work." It wasn't obvious to me (even though I know that David often listens to Mozart while painting.) But that's part of the mystery and joy of art. Each of us looks at a painting and sees something different. Favorite Plays and Films (in no particular order.) PLAYS Butley (Simon Gray) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Edward Albee) Arcadia (Tom Stoppard) Travesties (Tom Stoppard) Endgame (Samuel Beckett) An Englishman Abroad (Alan Bennett) Glengarry Glen Ross (David Mamet) Hamlet & Hery IV Part I (William Shakespeare) No Man's Land (Harold Pinter) The Ice Man Cometh (Eugene O'Neill) True West (Sam Shepard) FILMS Citizen Kane (Orson Wells) Chinatown (Roman Polanski) Fargo (Coen Bros.) 8-1/2 (Federico Fellini) The Third Man (Carol Reed) Black Narcissus (Michael Powell) Hannah & Her Sisters (Woody Allen) Great Expectations (David Lean) Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese) Local Hero (Bill Forsyth) The Servant (Joseph Losey) Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder) The Maltese Falcon (John Huston) The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (Peter Greenaway) Babe, Pig in the City (George Miller) Little Davy PERSONAL BACKGROUND: How long has David Delamare been painting? All his life. Even as a child he was busy drawing, painting, and writing stories. He was (and is) strongly encouraged by his mother. Una lives just a few blocks away and is still his greatest fan. She keeps a scrapbook of his work, bakes cookies for local gallery openings, and not infrequently drops by with a roast beef sandwich or chicken pot pie. David knew from a very early age that he wanted to be an artist, and has always earned his living through art. In his early years he set up a business painting signs and he occasionally taught art, but he is proud of the fact that he has never had a "real" job. Can you tell me something about his personal life? David was born in Leicester, UK but has spent most of his life in Portland, Oregon where he enjoys the cloudy weather. Though he likes to travel, he has never driven a car. He sleeps late and works deep into the night. When he's not attending films, plays, or concerts he can usually be found at home or strolling in Portland's Hawthorne District. He's a bit reclusive and rarely makes public appearances, so if you have an opportunity to see him at a book signing or gallery opening, don't miss it.

The Pinup

Craig is a visual artist from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He spends his time equally between Calgary and Fernie BC. His art is a biographical exploration of his life and thought. His work ranges in style from the realistic to the expressive. His palette ranges from the somber earth tones of the classical world to the bright super chromatic of the pop and postmodern era. His work has both an adult sensibility and a childlike curiosity and playfulness. He considers himself to be a figurative artist. People and relationships are his favorite subject matter. His work encompasses the psychological relationships of coexistence, between differing people, people and objects, objects and other objects. He doesn't believe in imposing rhetoric and the spoken word upon his art and thinks it should be experienced as a kind of visual poetry.

illustration

The official online gallery featuring the art and illustrations of Chris Dien. Here you will find the latest of the artists paintings for books and games.

Epic Battles and Danger Chris Achilleos is a highly accomplished painter and illustrator whose work in the fantasy and erotica genres is recognized worldwide. Achilleos was born in 1947 on the island of Cyprus and enjoyed a childhood of rural mischief. Without much pop culture, besides the epic films shown at the open-air cinema where his father was the projectionist, he and his friends created their own entertainment, staging elaborate battles between legendary foes as well as hunting and fishing in the countryside. At age twelve, Chris' mother moved herself and her four children away from the violence and turmoil of Cyprus and to London, England. Alone and isolated in a new land and new culture, the young boy turned to solitary pursuits such as art. His imagination was particularly captured by comics. Besides being fascinated by the fantastical images, Chris found these comic books an excellent source of education in the English language. Inspired by the likes of Heros the Spartan, the boy began reproducing scenes from his own imagination with whatever art materials he could scrounge up, including wrapping paper donated from the kind local butcher. The world of his imagination was sometimes at odds with his "real" work and studies. As a student in Art College, Achilleos refined the techniques that would later lead him to success, but he showed only a passing interest in his assignments. His real passion emerged at night, when he would paint huge scenes from the world of Conan. He worked tirelessly to create an impressive portfolio of fantasy art that would help him secure the type of work he loved. It worked. His inquiries at Tandem Books and Brian Boyle Associates proved fruitful, and soon the young man was doing book covers for a great variety of series in the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres. Soon enough he was also busy working in the advertising industry, which paid well enough to support his young family. Another important artistic development came with a request from Men Only, a British erotic magazine similar to Playboy. They asked Achilleos to do glamour illustrations, works which have since become collectors items in the erotic art world. Soon enough, the artist had reached a level of success in the fantasy art world that allowed him to give up advertising commissions and focus on his imaginative works. The best work of Achilleos calls to mind the excellence and dynamism of one of the artist's greatest influences: Frank Frazetta. His erotic works combine sensuality with imagination and feature hybrid creatures from mythical pasts as well as more modern erotica. There is an obvious penchant for fetishism, and his leather-clad crop-bearing female figures are charged with that special mixture of danger and sexuality. These works are characterized by a very powerful sense of the dramatic. In his own words: "There is a tale to be told in each of my works. The paintings itself is no more than a photograph, capturing barely a moment of that tale. My job is through dramatic composition of the scene I have chosen -- to provide the viewer with a glimpse of the entire story; what has happened so far and what will happen next." This sense of drama is a quality we often see in the finest illustrators who have been inspired by and worked with fantasy comics and books and it makes his fantasy pinup works highly compelling. The art of Chris Achilleos has been made widely available in book form with the publication of four major volumes. The titles provide an excellent indication of the artist's favored subjects: Beauty and the Beast (1978), Sirens (1986), Medusa (1988) and Amazona (2004). A young artist in the production office of Lucasfilm Ltd. showed one of these books to George Lucas himself, which led to work as a conceptual artist on the movie Willow. His other film credits include work with the cult classic Heavy Metal, Clash of the Titans, and Blade Runner. It is almost impossible to detail every aspect of the artist's resume. Although he has demonstrated enormous range and versatility, Achilleos has done some of his finest work in the realm of erotica. His storied past includes involvement in the vibrant goth and fetish movements that emerged in London in the 90s and later. He became fascinated by the wonderful cast of women he met and began using them as models in his fantasy pinup work. The artist continues to live and work in London, travelling frequently to attend conventions and fairs and to promote his work. He continues to stretch his own artistic boundaries while his reputation continues to expand. Major Accomplishments illustrated book covers in fantasy, sci-fi and horror genres, including Conan the Barbarian. work has appeared in major magazines including Heavy Metal, Radio Times and Men Only. worked as conceptual artist on major motion pictures including Willow, Clash of the Titans and Blade Runner. created cover for Whitesnake album Lovehunter. work has appeared in galleries in southern U.S. and Mexico. published four compilations of artwork: Beauty and the Beast, Sirens, Medusa and Amazona.

Rebel Artist Spirit In Spain, the genres of pin-up art and fantasy-erotica find their greatest expression in the work of Carlos Diez. Besides producing paintings, illustrations and sketches in the studio, he is involved in art education. Born in 1966 in Madrid, Carlos Diez had several early influences that shaped his artistic vision. He was always interested in science fiction films and television series. He claims to have recorded episodes of Space 1999 on audio tape and replayed them countless times. Movies provided great imaginative stimulation and Diez began drawing at a very young age, partly as a way to prolong the pleasure of the movies he saw. Some time after seeing Star Wars, Diez had an important realization. He found that it was much more exciting to draw the likes of Princess Leia than it was to draw the masculine heroes of the movies he adored. The pin-up artist was born. As Carlos himself described it: "All the paper that went through my hands started to get filled with curves and more curves, trying to recreate the image of those beautiful women" The artists fate appeared to be sealed when he found a book of Alberto Vargas illustrations and realized that what he was trying to accomplish in his drawings had precedent, and a name: "pin-up." Although he attended the University of Fine Arts and School of Applied Arts for one year, Diez is largely self-taught. Art school didn't meet his expectations and so he embarked on his career without academic qualifications or much formal training. His imagination and skill with the airbrush led him into early work for record labels and advertising agencies. But again, the rebel spirit was restless and longed to focus on works of fantasy and erotica. Opportunity eventually came knocking, and Diez's work came to appear on poster and covers for a great variety of publications. These include magazines such as Heavy Metal, Playboy, Penthouse, and GQ, as well as comic books including Kiss Comics, El Vibora, Eros Comic, Gigamesh, and Dolmen. The artist has thus achieved very broad exposure and his erotic images have garnered popularity both in his native Spain as well as in North America. Carlos Diez work has become even more various, and he has contributed to TV and radio as well as to the music industry. His work with Locomotive Music, a major Spanish label, has included covers for heavy metal bands such as Transilvania 666, Tribute to Iron Maiden, Easy Rider, Tierra Santa, Azrael and Lujuria. The Internet has helped the artist achieve even broader recognition. He launched his official website in 2002 and quickly began receiving requests and praise from around the world. One of the most important connections he made was with Robert Bane, the renowned collector of erotic art and supporter of erotic artists. Bane asked for some of the artist's original work for an exhibition at the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles. Diez's subsequent trip to California also provided an opportunity to meat Kevin Eastmen and begin his work with Heavy Metal magazine. The work of Carlos Diez includes traditional pin-up, for which he relies on an international coterie of models (he receives many requests), as well as unique combinations of fantasy and erotica. The artist's development of this combination resulted primarily from the great demand for such work, which led him to study the art of Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo and Alfonso Azpiri. He credits these masters with teaching about the use of color. From Luis Royo, whom he calls the "great master of erotic art," he has learned to appreciate detail. Diez also mentions many others as formative influences, including Sorayama, Geiger, and de Berardinis. Some of the finest erotic images can be found in the book The Art of Carlos Diez: Objects of Desire. The artist himself took great pains arranging each page and ensuring that each detail advanced his artistic vision. This is a full color 136-page collection of paintings and drawings that has been called a "delightful amalgam of erotic daydreams." It provides many excellent examples of the artist's work. Carlos Diez continues to work in Spain. He has celebrated the 10th anniversary of his institute "C10 Formación Creativa Gráfica y Digital." Located in Madrid, the institute offers courses in a wide range of visual arts, including comic book art, manga, illustration, drawing, airbrushing, graphic design, and digital photography. His involvement in education is rather ironic, considering that he was largely self-taught, but he certainly has much to give back to the world of art. Major Accomplishments work has appeared in major magazines including Heavy Metal, Playboy, Penthouse and GQ. comic book work includes illustrations for Kiss Comics, El Vibora, Eros Comic, Gigamesh, and Dolmen. has designed CD covers for a great variety of heavy metal bands with Locomotive Music. work has been shown in the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles, California. published The Art of Carlos Diez: Objects of Desire. founded his own school dedicated to the visual arts, C10 Formación Creativa Gráfica y Digital.

International Recognition & Success Carlos Cartagena, born April 29th, 1960 in Guatemala City. In school, the teachers were impressed with Carlos drawing ability but later he wanted to do more than just draw. In 1981, he followed his dream and immigrated to America. He worked at different jobs but in the late 80's he started learning airbrush techniques. The first ten years in the U.S. he worked in different types of jobs but in the late 80's he started self-teaching airbrush techniques, making lots of mistakes in the process but moving forward with his big dream. In 1990, Carlos landed his first job as an illustrator for a Southern California electric sign company. It was good practice and he perfected many skills there. But soon it was time to advance, ...he would divide his time between freelance work, painting requests on leather jackets and a custom Harley Davidson bikes. Although by this time his work was gaining national recognition for his murals on the backs of leather jackets, now he was reaching a wealthier U.S. audience through his work on the tanks and fenders of Harley Davidson motorcycles. His work was beginning to reflect "his" style - sexy, sometimes erotic, but always in good taste. In 95 and 96 he won 1st places at Sturgis and Laughlin for his mural created on a custom Harley-Davidson. In 1997 a designer and life-long surfer Mark Buck and founder of Slap-on Art Decals®. Came up with the idea for decals that could be applied to surfboards, car windows, shower doors, skis, skateboards, snowboards...anything with a smooth surface that would look better with a gorgeous image of a sexy woman applied to it. Cartagena was commissioned for a series of pinups for the first release of decals. Advertising went in every magazine from Abercrombie & Fitch to Penthouse, Playboy, Surfer and endless other publications. Cartagena was an instant success, fans of his work gobbling up the decals and writing letters to him from around the globe. He finally reached the international audience. Slap-on was a HUGE SUCCESS and the floodgates opened for anyone looking for the hallmark of pinup artists. Carlos Cartagena had achieved his dream of international recognition and success and is sought out worldwide for his work. Cartagena's pinups are now commissioned and licensed worldwide. His website attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors; some to just look, others to buy his collectables and others to do business.

Boris Vallejo is well-known for his paintings in the genres of fantasy and erotic art. Both alone and together with his wife Julie Bell, his images of muscular heroes have appeared almost everywhere. Vallejo was born in Lima, Peru in 1941. He began painting at the age of thirteen and showed enough early talent to land a job as an illustrator at age sixteen. Although he toyed with the ideas of being a concert violinist or doctor, his future clearly lay in art. He attended the National School of Fine Arts in Peru, winning high praise and a Gold Medal for his excellent work. Boris dreamt of success on a scale that his native country could not accommodate. For that reason, he assembled a portfolio of his paintings and emigrated to the United States at the age of 23. With no friends, just a few dollars and a wealth of talent, the artist managed to overcome great odds. His first job was as an illustrator for the advertising department of a major retail chain. It was there he met his first wife, whom he later divorced after having two children. The sight of a heroic woman fighting a prehistoric monster on a comic book cover changed the course of Vallejo's life. Fantasy art provided a way to combine his interest in the human body (particularly its muscular structure) and painting. He began to hone his technique and craft his unique fantasy erotic vision. Some measure of success came quickly, and his art soon graced covers for Marvel Comics, Warren Publications and Skywald Publishing. Over the next two decades, Boris Vallejo produced stunning fantasy art for movie posters, advertisements, calendars and collectibles. His work has appeared on hundreds of paperback covers, and he is known for his illustrations of many well-known fantasy characters, including Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and Doc Savage. Through the years several collections of Boris' work have been published in book form, including The Fantasy Art of Boris Vallejo, Fantasy Art Techniques, Mirage, and Dreams: The Art of Boris Vallejo. In Vallejo's art there are a variety of influences. He has an almost classical sense of painting, and acknowledges many famous painters including Vermeer, Rembrandt, and da Vinci. His erotic art is thus highly concerned with form and technique. His interest in the human body, and bodybuilding, is reflected in his hyper-representational images of men and women in naked or semi-nude glory. He has also been inspired by such heavyweights of the fantasy art world as Frank Frazetta. Oil paint on board is Boris' chosen medium, another nod to the classic masters. He is extremely deft at using oil to create depth, feeling and sensuality, producing paintings that are strikingly vivid. Although he has dabbled with digital media and recombining painted images, he claims to have no desire to abandon oil-painting. The primary subjects in Vallejo paintings are muscular heroes and heroines displaying savage sensuality. They battle, ride or cavort with beasts from Greek myth, some future time or Boris' own imagination. Toned women wield weapons both primitive and futuristic. The artist's wife often serves as a model, lending her own muscular form to the paintings. Boris Vallejo has pushed the boundaries of fantasy art and raised the standards in the genre. His impact has been broadly felt, with numerous younger artists listing him as a primary influence. Current / Recent Activity In the mid-90s Boris married for the second time, this time to body-builder Julie Bell, whose own interest and skills in fantasy art blossomed through the relationship. Bell has served as constant companion, work-out partner, model and collaborator for Vallejo. Their works often appear together and their reputations have become intertwined. "Boris and Julie" have become a famous couple in the world of fantasy and erotic art. Boris Vallejo currently lives and works with his wife Julie Bell in Pennsylvania. They continue to paint and sell work, both originals and reproductions, through their website. They also maintain a blog called Paint and Brush, where they detail their comings and goings and provide interesting commentary on their own work, both past and present. Major Accomplishments cover illustrations for hundreds of paperbacks, including Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and Doc Savage. numerous Hollywood movie posters, including Barbarella, Barbarian Queen, National Lampoon's Vacation , European Vacation , and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. several compilations of works, including The Fantasy Art of Boris Vallejo, Mirage and Dreams: The Art of Boris Vallejo. Locus Award for best Art Book, for The Fabulous Women of Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell.

Eclectic and Strikingly Surreal Imagery The art of Barclay Shaw stands apart in its eclectic originality. His strikingly surreal imagery and crystalline rendering style create a unique space within the arena of illustrative art, computer generated graphics and 3D animation. Since turning to the arts as a full-time freelance artist, Barclay Shaw has painted well over 500 book and magazine cover illustrations, working for virtually every major U.S. publishing house. His paintings have received Chesley Awards and several Hugo Award nominations. His original artwork is displayed in museums and galleries, as well as Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention art shows. He now provides high-end computer graphics and 3D animation support primarily for government and private sector scientific research and development programs. The art of Barclay Shaw stands apart in its eclectic originality. His strikingly surreal imagery and crystalline rendering style create a unique space within the arena of illustrative art, computer generated graphics and 3D animation. Although the majority of Shaw's early artwork has centered on Science Fiction and Fantasy themes, his work covers an extremely broad range of subject matter and use of materials: from painting and sculpture to digital imagery, 3D animation and multimedia presentation. His background in painting, sculpture and design along with his active interest in animation and music production, make him uniquely qualified for the current environment of computer generated graphics and multimedia production. In addition to traditional art tools, his studio includes both Macintosh and Windows platforms and has full digital audio and video production capabilities.

Pinup Models and Celebrities Barbara is self-taught, starting with portrait work in the 80's and progressing into the erotic during the late 90's. Famous for her personalized commission works, she works closely with many pinup models and celebrities alike. Her work is featured on many pinup and erotic art websites and can also be seen at Robert & Tamara Bane Galleries in Beverly Hills, CA and the Echo Gallery in Chicago. Famous for her personalized commission works she works closely with many pinup models and celebrities alike. Publications include Club International magazine, Airbrush Action magazine, Artcore #1, Artcore #5 and The Hot Spot (Erotique Books) among others. Her own Art Premiere book has just been released worldwide. She welcomes any questions or requests and will work closely with every client as complete satisfaction is the goal.

Anthony Guerra is a diverse artist and businessperson with an extraordinary body of work in the genres of pinup and erotica. Born in 1970 and raised in Texas and New Mexico, Anthony’s artistic skills served him well from an early age. He recalls getting out of regular schoolwork in English class by spending his time painting a mural on the teacher’s wall. It was just the beginning of an already long and prolific career that has taken many interesting turns and only came around to erotica within the past decade. After high school, Guerra headed for Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended the American College for the Applied Arts. After four enjoyable formative years, he went on to the Art Institute of Houston, where he claims to have been “obsessed with art,” working tirelessly to hone his techniques. His efforts paid off in the form of a 4.0 GPA and an offer on graduation night from a company called Rock ‘N Learn which produced educational books for children. It may seem an odd professional start for an artist who would later become best-known for erotic works, but his employment at Rock ‘N Learn lasted five years. All the while, he was teaching art classes in different parts of the country. Eventually he found that doing illustrations for a client didn’t provide enough of an outlet for his own creative energies and he was busy enough with other projects to give it up. He committed himself to freelance illustration work and his own fine art. Although now known primarily as an erotic artist, it wasn’t until 2001 that Guerra took this focus. The inspiration for this change of direction came with a simple photo shoot with a pretty model, and since that time he hasn’t really looked back. Over the past several years he has produced an outstanding portfolio of pinup paintings. This seems now to be the genre he was built for artistically, and his eye for sensual composition is beyond keen. This aspect of composition and color are what Guerra holds as the most crucial elements of painting. As he says, “Bad color can blind you and bad composition can turn you away from a painting quickly.” He reminisces about his penchant for markers while studying at the Art Institute of Houston, sparing no expense in his purchase of different shades, despite being poor. The mature artist now works primarily in acrylics, but when he doesn’t want color he is perfectly comfortable with charcoal and ink. Much of his portfolio is populated by exquisitely drawn nude and semi-nude figures in black, white and various shades of gray. His works are a refreshing combination of provocation and whimsy. There is deep sensuality mixed with a great sense of fun. Guerra works from photo shoots that he does with a huge roster of models. In fact, he only works from photographs and only his own photographs. His works are therefore truly original. He occasionally does commissions, but states very clearly that he won’t accept money to paint someone’s favorite movie star. Photography has become a huge part of how Anthony fulfills his artistic vision, and his website presents not only erotic paintings and drawings, but exceptional erotic photography as well. Pinup art by Anthony Guerra has been seen all over the world and is regularly displayed in galleries in the southern United States as well as Mexico. His work has also appeared in calendar form and on the fronts of airplanes; one can’t imagine a better nod to the classical pinup era that has inspired some of his work. Original work and prints are available through his website’s Guerra Fine Art Store. With enormous drive and energy, Guerra and his wife Michelle also find time for various business ventures. Over the past two years he has built a very successful licensing company called Creative Image Licensing and Management. They promote, sell and protect images on the Internet for a variety of artists, including Guerra’s and many of his colleagues in the genre of erotica and pinup. Anthony, his wife Michelle, and their five children currently reside in Southern California. According to his autobiographical profile: “I have a wonderful family, successful businesses, beautiful women to paint… -sigh- it’s a hard life but someone’s go to do it.” Major Accomplishments - 4.0 GPA at the Art Institute of Houston - instructed art classes throughout the United States - several years with Rock ‘N Learn illustrating children’s educational resources - founder and director of Creative Image Licensing and Management - work has appeared in galleries in southern U.S. and Mexico - featured on calendars and airplane noses

Born in 196o so to speak as a "multi talent" - plays drums in two rock/pop bands, is father of two and a sought after handyman and, on the side, happens to paint pictures that are pretty much breathtaking. According to his words, he is not the best drummer, nor the best painter, but he is working on it. His modesty is one of his striking features. When asked "why do you paint?" the answer is almost invariably: "...because it´s fun!...anyone can do it, anyway." It is not easy to get an explanation for his choice of subject matter, either: "There is no particular reason why I make my paintings how they are. I don´t paint to express anything in particular, rather I paint with the feeling that I will like the result". The most important point of his creation is - as he puts it - the fun that he has when doing his illustrating. Being self-taught, he feels at ease in the role of the hobby and spare-time painter. That does not mean that he would make his hobby into a profession. After all, he already has already embellished a number of motor bikes (including his own Harley) and different pieces of furniture. But have you ever seen a good artist who cared about the marketing?! For my part, all I can say is: Dear Andy, keep having your fun in painting, so that we can also have fun looking at them for a long time to come!!

I’ve been drawing pinup girls since 1999… Still seems like its only begun. I’m not good at writing bios, dammit I’m not a writer. So what I’ll do is answer a few FAQs: How do you draw your pinups? Most of my pieces are start out pretty old school stylies… pencil and ink on illustration board. I then scan in the original lineart and complete the computer coloring step digitally on computer. What inspires you? I’m a huge pinup fan myself so I get a lot of ideas from old pinup artwork and photography (especially from the 40s,50s) and then I add my own little twist to it. My art is heavily influenced by the anime/manga and American comics of the 80s-90s. The rest is all alcohol and nachos. Where did you put my schnitzel? In the fridge next to the jar of olives. What’s with the name Amano Jyaku? (pronouced “ama-no ya-coo”) Its my online name (handle) and pen name for my pinup art. I believe itA japanese word that translates to “perverse or cussed person, mischievous, contrarian”. I think in the grand scheme of things it defines what I set out to do with my art. Do you do commission work? Yup sure do. Go check out my “Commission” section of my website for more info. Do you only draw women? So far, I haven’t been able to find another subject worthy of my attentions. When the last redhead on the planet dies I’ll cut my drawing hand off and replace it with a hook. I don’t understand the pirate references? Then my friend you haven’t had enough to drink. I’ve always fancied the positive elements carefree freedom and rebellion associated with the pirates from my childhood books and movies. And so I hang my flag up proud everywhere I roam

Alex Horley’s artistic talent knows no boundaries. He has a solid foundation in traditional art with a superior eye for light, color, camera placement and composition. He is well known for his diverse visual range in regards to concept design, exceptional human and creature anatomy, ability to depict action, strong storytelling and sequence development skills. His distinctive compelling imagery leaps from the page and has earned him the reputation of one of today’s top creative visionaries who is finding an ever-expanding audience. Real name Alessandro Orlandelli, he was born in the small town of Opera in the outskirts of Milan Italy. His love for the fantastic came early while reading his favorite Marvel comics in the seventies. He started to try and draw them when he was in kindergarten and even taught himself the English language by reading comic books. Within those pages he studied stylings of such masters as Jack Kirby, Gil Kane, Gene Colan as well as John and Sal Buscema. Years later it would be the writings of Robert E. Howard which fueled his imagination and love of the fantasy genre. He then discovered the art of Frank Frazetta on the cover of the Conan the Destroyer comic series. He searched bookstores for more of his work and came across The Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta Volumes 1-4. The very next day he purchased his very fist set and brushes and began to push paint around on the canvas. After high school he went straight into Art College and was then accepted into the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts of Milan. During his first year he was invited to take an internship at the academy’s museum “Gallery of Brera.” Any free time he had was spent painting his own fantasy style illustrations and frequenting the local comic book stores. He began collecting Pulp publications, Vampirella, Creepy, Eerie as well as books on everyone from Caravaggio to Waterhouse. During this time he also discovered the works of Richard Corben and Simon Bisley. Next to Frazetta these two artists would be the strongest influences on him while developing his own skills as a painter. After graduating from the academy, he created the name “Alex Horley” because he thought his real name would be too hard for potential editors to remember and felt it took up too much space when signing his name to his original works of art. He started his professional career right away creating covers for video game and role playing game magazines throughout the European Market. Early on he made a trip to London to meet with the editors of Monster Massacre and Blackball Comics. He was instantly commissioned for several pin-ups. He also started working for Marvel Italy and producing character designs for The Mutant Chronicles published by Acclaim/Dark Horse. It was then the editors and art directors at DC Comics discovered Alex’s work. He signed on for a Lobo mini-series, several painted covers and story layouts for both the DC and Vertigo division. He was also part of the Batman Master Series. A group of trading cards later reprinted in a hard cover format art book. Alex then entered the world of adult format comics. He was commissioned by Glen Danzig to produce several pin-ups and story layouts for his Verotik Comics. He also began a series of projects for Penthouse Comix and received an overwhelming response from its readers. In addition, he began the designs and layouts for “Sharky”, a new mini-series for Image Comics. He was also chosen to be one of the artists to be featured in the Frank Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated Magazine. The owner and publisher of Heavy Metal Magazine, Kevin Eastman, then contacted Alex. After completing an eight-page short story for the publication, Kevin asked Alex to produce covers and calendar art annually along with a series of limited edition posters. The covers and posters featured his muse Stacy E. Walker, one of the most well known figure models in the fantasy and comic art genre. The collaborations together became so popular for the publication they produced a statue based on their signature painting “Red Stacy” as well as their own calendar. A 12” x 18” sculpture of their iconic Galactic Cop cover image is set for release in 2012. The duo was also featured guests at the Heavy Metal Booth at the San Diego Comic Con for five years before breaking out on their own. In addition to Heavy Metal, Alex produced cover art for countless comics and magazines including titles for Devils Due, Vampirella, and the Comic Book Buyers Guide. DC Comics then enlisted Alex to fully paint the six issue mini-series “Lobo Unbound”. The first issue was an instant sell out and DC Direct asked Alex to design a high end limited edition statue based on the cover art from the issue. Later they would ask Alex to produce box art for a Lobo action figure being produced by Mattel to be sold exclusively at the San Diego Comic Con. During this time Alex began to work with the gaming company Wizards of the Coast on one of the most popular trading card games in the world, Magic: The Gathering and has produced more the 120 cards for the game. He was also one of a select group of artists chosen to work on their Harry Potter Game. Most recently he was handed picked by the art director to work on their new internet comic series Path Of the Planeswalker. The series proved to be so popular it was also published as a 160 page graphic anthology. A small preview booklet featuring a sample chapter by Alex was produced and distributed as a limited edition promotional item at the San Diego Comic Con as well as other major gaming conferences. It would not take long before Alex’s explosive images would catch the eye of a variety of licensing companies and celebrities. He began a series of limited edition cell prints for the innovative new company Laser Mach, Inc. He produced exclusive art featuring the characters of Marvel Comics for Tower Records and the Universal Theme Parks. Gene Simmons of the legendary band KISS commissioned Alex for several pieces to bring visual impact to several projects he has in development. Alex consistently produces a variety of art for ground breaking musician and film maker Rob Zombie including color storyboards and advertising art for his films. In early 2010, the rocker released his fourth solo album “Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool” and before saying goodbye to the almighty CD in the wake of digital downloads, Zombie thought he would give it a big send-off . “I love being able to get great artists involved on my CD artwork and this time is the best yet. I gathered three of the top artists around to contribute some killer new Zombie art for the booklet. These three masters have added an awesome edge to the CD package that I’m sure you will love.” Alex is one of those three masters and has four paintings prominently featured in the CD booklet. The provocative “Jesus Frankenstein” image he created was also used as the cover art of the Limited Edition Coffin Box Set version of the album as well as a limited edition t-shirt available exclusively at the Hot Topic store chain. In addition to Zombie, he also created the CD cover art for two releases by the heavy metal band “Blood Tsunami” as well as one of Italy’s biggest pop/rock stars “Lorenzo Jovanotti.” Alex’s versatile artistic talent has also enabled him to expand in to a wide variety of new markets. He was commissioned to create a “pop art” style cover for the magazine Psychology Today along with an interior story. The art was so well received it was then licensed by their European counter part Focus Magazine. Focus is one of Europe’s most popular magazines with a circulation of six million. After the art appeared on the cover of the Italian edition, it was picked up by Spain and Greece as well. The cutting edge fashion magazine Flaunt asked Alex to produce two alternate covers feature Siena Miller and Topher Grace to compliment their interior fashion spreads. The prestigious ad agency Cramer Krasselt of Chicago asked Alex to produce the advertising art for the Broan Company to run in trade publications across North America and Canada. He was also selected as one of only five renowned artists to be featured in a Masters of Fantasy limited edition tattoo flash art set produced by the leading distributor in the field, Bullseye Tattoos. He also created the cover art for the project and it was later made available as a limited edition print. He also completed the packaging art for an entire new series of Action Man toys for Hasbro’s European market. Next Alex began working with the Upper Deck Entertainment Company for several of their new trading card games. He produced cards and box art for the Verses game featuring the characters from Marvel and DC Comics. His art was also features in their Marvel Masterpiece series. The company was so impressed with the packaging art he created for the “Marvel Team Up” set, he was asked to create the first box art for their “Pirates of the Caribbean” game in association with The Disney Company. Soon after, he was asked to start producing art for a new game to be based on one of the biggest properties in the computer gaming industry, “World of Warcraft.” After completing a successful signing tour throughout Europe to launch the game, Alex was asked to create the art for a special stackable collector tin card box for their market. His eye-popping illustrations became and instant favorite amongst the staff of the games creators at Blizzard Entertainment. He was the first non Blizzard staff member they approved to produce art for the packaging of the game as well as their licensed product line. His original art is highly coveted by their staff and there are more than twelve of his paintings hanging throughout the companies headquarters. Blizzard’s Executive VP and co-founder Frank Pearce loves his take on their characters and is the proud owner of more than six of his paintings. He generously lent one of his paintings to an exhibition on World of Warcraft and Emerging Media at the Laguna Museum of Art in Laguna Beach California. In the fall of 2010, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taiwan featured 700 pieces of art from Blizzard Entertainments Diablo, Starcraft, and World of Warcraft in a series titled “Fights, Flights and Frights Inside the Storm”. It was the first time Blizzard had an exhibition of its art overseas. Alex’s 16x20 oil painting of “Tosh from Starcraft and owned by Blizzard Entertainment was prominently featured in the exhibition. Alex was extremely honored to be included in both of these unique and prestigious events. Alex quickly became a huge fan of the company and its staff members and spends a good amount of with them at their offices in Irvine California and has a contract with their Creative Development Department. He considers working with Blizzard as the best job he has ever had and looks forward to a long creative relationship with the company. Alex continues to receive rave reviews for his work around the globe from some of the biggest publications in the field including Fantasy Art Now, The Future of Fantasy Art, Spectrum Fantastic Art, ImagineFX, Beckett Massive Online Gamer, DRAW, and China’s Fantasy Art Magazine. The Alex Horley Sketchbook was released in August of 2009 in three formats, Trade Paperback, Hard Cover and Deluxe Limited Edition Slipcase Hardcover. It is the first retrospective of his work packed with over 200 illustrations from his behind-the scenes drawings and preliminaries to his triumphant, finished paintings along with his own in-depth personal commentary. A full color retrospective of his work is in the planning stages for future release. Looking ahead Alex’s calendar is jam packed. He looks forward to all the exciting projects he will work on with Blizzard as well as continuing his work with comics, graphic novels, and cover art. He also looks forward to expanding his career deeper into the fields of concept design and storyboarding for video games and feature films. Most recently he formed a production company with his partner and muse Stacy E. Walker and the “Alex Horley” name is now a registered trademark of Blaze Productions Inc. where plans are currently in the works to fully develop his own innovative ideas in the fantasy genre as well as the entertainment arts.

For me to speak of myself or my artwork I must focus on its most motivating element – WOMEN! Whether submissive or dominant, innocent or experienced, my insatiable urge to portray a beautiful woman permeates my life and my art. It’s what inspired me to become an artist, and it led me into the field of erotic illustration as well as comic book drawing and paperback-cover painting. Growing up in the early 60’s provided me with many opportunities to see various erotic scenes on television. After watching these scenes I would often try to recreate them on paper (or enact it with a certain girl in the neighborhood). Fortunately I had a decent drawing ability, and soon found I could achieve a likeness of the actress as well. I took great care in obtaining accuracy of positions and angles. I also paid attention to her dress wear. High heeled shoes and knee-high boots, showing lots of leg are other special turn-ons to me. In high school my notes from class were intermixed with sketches of various studies: girls in cheerleader uniforms, leg wear, footwear, etc. All were done from observation or memory. Guys who saw my drawings began to ask for drawings of certain girls or movie stars involved in various fantasy situations. It was an early version of the custom order business I’d later provide. My career as a professional illustrator began after college. My taste for women in bizarre attire led me to super hero books, where the heroines dressed in wild clothing. The same can be said for my sci-fi book covers. Yet it was working for Friendship Studios that began my deep involvement with erotic illustration. During this time I also had the opportunity to illustrate a complete book, and also I was able to begin a professional custom art service. Over the years we were together I must have drawn close to a thousand personal requests. Afterwards I concerned myself more with regular illustration, portrait and cover paintings while keeping a steady custom order clientele. I also did some work for a number of well-known erotic publications. Many times I’ve been asked how my drawings evolve. I tend to work from imagination, starting with a basic idea. It may be a certain situation, woman, position, etc., that sets the wheels in motion. I do a full size sketch, working out details, then I transfer onto Bristol Board (11” x 14”). The drawing is usually rendered in black Prismacolor, a wax pencil that seldom smears. If I need reference, I find a photo that is similar, or get my wife to pose. When doing custom work, my major concern is that the buyer be pleased with the result. I carefully consider what his fantasy is all about, as well as stressing detail and creating a good likeness.

Alan started his professional career as an illustrator after graduating Rochester Institute of Technology in 1991 with a BFA in Painting and Illustration. His first job right out of school was for two covers for Marvel Comics - Conan Magazines. He has since trained under his mentor of 6 years John F. Murray at The School of Visual Arts and the John F. Murray School of Art. He studied a traditional academic approach to Drawing and Painting that can be traced back to Jean Leon Gerome and other 19th Century French Academicians at the Ecole de Beau Arts in France. This training technique is known as the Riley Method. The Riley Method was taught to John Murray by Frank Riley at The Art Students League of New York. During and after Alan's training, he has developed a steady working relationship with many of his clients, most of which are top tier companies in their perspective industries. He has illustrated Book Covers, Calendars, Portraits, Advertising, Card Game Illustrations, Magazine Covers, Interior Illustrations and more. His work here will speak for itself as far as quality, photo-realism, and digital art go. "I have always been inspired by traditional, classical and academic works of art. I enjoy the 'intellectual' painters, especially those of the 19th century, as well as the Old Masters. I also love creating my own worlds, painting the characters and their environments as I envision them."

Classic Nude Figure Drawings Alain Aslan, the famed French sculptor and painter, has produced a huge body of extraordinary pinup art that is technically exquisite and playfully provocative. Aslan was born in Bordeaux, France in 1930 and displayed prodigious talent at a very young age. This natural ability helped him gain admission to the School of Fine Arts in Bordeaux, where he excelled most notably at clay modeling. He quickly went on at the age of 16 (officially underage) to the prestigious Superior School of Fine Arts in Paris, where he produced many now-famous sculptures and busts of famous Frenchmen, winning several prizes and the amazement of his artistic peers. Compulsory military service did nothing to stop the young artist from pursuing his calling. His talent was recognized and acknowledged by his military superiors, and he was provided with a studio and eventually named the army's official painter and sculptor. After completing his service, he continued to win awards for his sculpture, but also sought out commercial illustration work. The 1950s brought a variety of work. He did illustrations for children's books, including Pinocchio and the stories of Anderson and Perrault. His advertising work included illustrations for the Crazy Horse Saloon, The Casino de Paris, Folies Bergere, as well as major car companies such as Peugot, Renault and Fiat. He also signed an exclusive contract with Publicis, the first French publicity agency, and produced excellent work for publishers Editions Dargaud and Editions Mondiales. Throughout these early years doing commercial illustration and fine art sculpture, Aslan developed his unique artistic vision and technique. His talent and appeal laid the groundwork for what would become some of his most remarkable work: the pinup art he created for Lui and Oui magazines between the years 1963 and 1981. Lui was an upscale French men's magazine started in 1963 featuring nude photography as well as erotic artwork. Aslan was on board from the beginning, producing full-page pinup illustrations on a monthly basis. In 1972, Playboy launched Oui magazine as an American sister publication to Lui. This magazine, which continued to feature Aslan's pinups, continued Playboy's tradition of beautiful women, quality articles and stories, and timely interviews. This brought Aslan's work to the North American market and cemented his fame in the erotic art world. Aslan's paintings for Lui and Oui are perhaps some of the most representative pinup work from the heyday of print erotica in the 1960s and 70s. They are fun and sensuous celebrations of female sexuality, testaments to Aslan's claim that he is in love with nature and its laws. In his own words: "I paint and sculpt 'woman,' the most beautiful subject ever given to artists, because it is inexhaustible and eternal." The artist did not, however, give up on his renowned sculpture work. His 1970 bust of Brigitte Bardot as Marianne, that great symbol of the French Republic, stands out as one of his most significant accomplishments, but the next few decades also brought major works of notables such as General Charles de Gaulle, comedian Alain Delon and French Prime Minister and President George Pompidou. In 1995 Aslan moved to Canada and continued working not only in sculpture but also in painting and drawing. Although his pinup work for men's magazines ended with the demise of Oui in 1981, his artistic commitment to female beauty never wavered. He has produced dozens of erotic drawings that rival his paintings in sensual charge and show amazing technical mastery with that most basic of artistic tools: the pencil. He has also produced important busts of cultural figures in his adopted province of Quebec, Canada. It is rather uncommon but very refreshing to see an artist make such achievements in two artistic realms that many might consider at odds. But in everything he has done, be it sculpture for the French state or pinup for men's magazines, Aslan has brought very high standards of excellence. He has said, in fact, that he felt out of place in the abstract-expressionist trends of his lifetime. For this reason, his erotic work could be said to offer an updated, and slightly racier, version of classical figurative painting. The lifetime achievement of this artist is undeniable, and culminated in an award that few in the world of pinup can match: in 2003 he was named a "Commandeur" of the "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres," the highest distinction in French art and culture. Major Accomplishments admitted to Superior School of Fine Arts in Paris at the age of 16. won the Esprit Prize of the Institute of French Artists at the age of 17. appointed official painter and sculptor of the French army. 18-year contributor to Lui and Oui magazines. sculpted bust of Brigitte Bardot as Marianne, symbol of the French Republic, now in the Louvre. sculpted bust of singer Mireille Mathieu as Marianne, now in the Louvre museum. named Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government.

Elegance and Mystery Al Serov has been traveling all his life. He was born in Poland in 1970 in the family of a Russian military officer. Staying in Poland did not last for long. At the age of three a future artist was brought back to Russia. The old beautiful city of Saint Petersburg (it was called Leningrad at the moment) became his new place of living. The little boy was swept away by the beauty of the Czar’s palaces. Now Al Serov is a freelance fantasy artist. He works digitally using high-end equipment and latest technologies. The hallmark of his work is the high amount of detail, the rich textures, and the ultimate realism of feminine forms. Al believes that he has finally found the calling of his life. Al Serov’s specialty is posters and cover artworks for books, magazines, CDs, etc. The artist currently resides in GTA (Great Toronto Area), Canada with his wife and son.

Airbrushing Contemporary Nudes A.D. Cook is an internationally recognized, innovative artist whose disciplines include drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and design. His large-scale nude paintings are compelling testaments to the beauty of the female form. Born in 1961 in Phoenix, Arizona, Cook knew at a very early age that he wanted to be an artist. His family moved around a lot, sometimes two or three times a year, living much of their lives in truck campers or travel trailers. The one thing that Cook always managed to cart along on their sojourns was his pencils and drawing pad. As a youngster, the artist created coloring books that he sold at school, QSL cards for his father's CB friends, and mascot patches. Eventually, in the eighth grade, he saved enough money to buy an airbrush. Although he would eventually upgrade from his original Binks Wren, this tool became his most trusted friend and he would go on to enjoy huge success with it throughout his art career. Cook did a lot of graphic design work in his twenties and eventually went to work full-time for Hollywood Entertainment Corporation which ran the expanding chain of Hollywood Video stores. His most notable work there involved painting in-store murals, doing hundreds over the course of his 5-year employment. These murals garnered awards and recognition, winning Airbrush Action magazine's Seventh Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition and being featured in Airbrush Action 3 and Airbrush Magazine. His developing airbrush skills would benefit him greatly in his later entry into the world of nude figurative painting. If the technique and level of realism in these early works is excellent, then his later erotic works may be deemed masterful. After his work with Hollywood video, the artist and his wife founded A.D. Cook and Associates, Inc., in Portland, a business focused on graphic design and print management. Major clients included Iwata-Medea Airbrush Products, Artool Art Products, PIAA Lights Crimson Trace Lasergrips and WebTrends Software. Despite success in business, Cook longed to get out of the design world and into a full-time career in art. Combining his passion for painting with his passion for motorcycles, he produced a series of motorcycle paintings that gained the attention of Indian Motorcycle Company. A promising deal to become their officially licensed artist unfortunately fell through when the company surprisingly went out of business in 2003. It was at this time that the artist finally found his way back to a type of painting that he had virtually abandoned for several years: large-scale figurative works. More specifically: extremely compelling erotic female nudes. Although originally experimenting with pastel, he realized that what he was attempting to accomplish deserved paint. He has since produced an exquisite body of fine art nudes. He relies on live models to create extremely sensuous paintings. He shows perfectly how light and shadow play on the nude female form, showing why he is so highly regarded in the art world. Cook normally conducts a photo session with his chosen model before taking these images into the studio to work on his canvasses. These figurative paintings are generally very large, averaging 9 to 24 square feet, but sometimes even larger. Many of the models are depicted in slightly larger than life size. The results are stunning. Besides his figurative erotic works on canvas, Cook has recently produced some highly innovative work on textured metal. The result is a fascinating combination of photography, painting and sculpture, and to do this he relies on a proprietary technique which he himself developed and calls Artist Fusion "and Metal Fusion". After many years spent in the Pacific Northwest, the artist and his wife now make their home in Las Vegas, Nevada. His work has been featured in many galleries in the American City of Lights and he has recently proudly opened his own A.D. Cook Fine Art Gallery. Here he showcases his original nude figurative works and operates his studio. Major Accomplishments featured numerous times in Airbrush Action Magazine first-place winner of Airbrush Action 7th Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition, Mural Category third-place winner of Airbrush Action Magazine 15th Annual Airbrush Excellence Competition, Fine Art Category one of ten artists featured in the Cycle / Auto Art Show at Gallery at the Square in New York City many one-man shows at galleries across North America a total of 18 Showcase Awards with onemodelplace.com featured in Aphrodisia: The Art of the Female Form opened A.D. Cook Fine Art Gallery in Las Vegas, Nevada

A. Andrew Gonzalez, of San Antonio, Texas, is an award-winning figurative artist whose work has been exhibited in several countries. Born on October 13, 1963, and raised in a creative family, Andrew's art education is largely self-taught. His artist father, Anthony A. Gonzalez, encouraged his early interest in drawing and painting but gave him no formal training. In the year 2000, Andrew Gonzalez had the distinct privilege to work closely with the well-known Fantastic Realist artist Ernst Fuchs in Monaco and Austria. Photos of the experience can be seen at L. Caruana's website. The paintings of Gonzalez are created with airbrushed acrylics on panel or canvas. Forms, values and highlighting are created by lifting pigment with an abrasive eraser, followed by the application of transparent layers of pigment. Influenced by idealism in the mystical, visionary and esoteric traditions, the artist describes his work as a contemporary Tantric or Transfigurative Art that explores the dramatic union of the sensual and spiritual. His work is akin to a revival of classical neoplatonic ideals centering on the figure as temple and vessel sublimed by transformative forces. ARTIST STATEMENT Raised in an artistic family, the tools for creative expression were a familiar part of my world. As a child, drawing gave me playful access to the exciting contents of fantasy and imagination. This playful communion with fantasy would later mature into the creative exploration of the patterns of my soul, and the celebration of the forces of life. My childhood preoccupation with dreams and imaginal worlds would soon lead me to the masters of imaginative painting. But it wasn't mere "fantasy" art that would call to me, but an art with a particular revelatory power. I longed for an art that would contemplate the jewel of wisdom hidden within and reveal the glory and mystery of being, an art sublimed with grace and beauty, subtle, yet profoundly ecstatic and mythically bold in its declaration. The augurs of this revelatory art that would initially inspire my imagination would be found within the visionary and mystical art traditions and disseminated within the movements of Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Surrealism and Fantastic Art. As a young teenager it was Dali's "Nuclear Mysticism" that first captivated my imagination, then followed by the preeminent work of Ernst Fuchs, William Blake and the mystical idealism of Jean Delville. And later as a young adult, the creative eye of my soul marveled at the prodigious possibilities brought forth by the ominous visions of H.R. Giger, the crystalline vistas of Robert Venosa and the transparent transfigurations of Alex Grey. The kinship I felt with these artists gave me the conviction and hope that was vital during the initial development of my artistic skills and vision. Their mastery of technique combined with a clear and unique vision was certainly a prime motivating force. Above all, these revelatory artists, as well as many others, inspired my faith in the possibilities of what is yet to come in the art of the soul and spirit. My early interest in all things arcane and mystical arose from my sensitivity for synchronistic experiences and profound vivid dreams, which in turn lead me to question our common perceptions of reality, imagination and being. I found myself drawn to various esoteric subjects ranging from comparative religion and mythology to Jungian psychology, alchemical and tantric symbolism, exotic physics and the frontiers of consciousness and dream research. But it was these unique dream experiences that would awaken an undeniable call to devote myself to the development of a numinous artistic vision. A new beginning in my creative journey arose after a series of peak dream experiences that culminated at the age of nineteen. These "supernatural events of the soul" comprised of out-of-body experiences and lucid "waking" dreams, some of which involved brief encounters with mysterious adepts or messengers. On three occasions during my lucid dream practice I awoke enveloped in a fiercely radiant golden light, moving rapidly towards its blazing white center. Upon opening my eyes, I felt what could only be described as a sense of being reborn. Everything around me looked new, and I felt this wonderful sense of peace and clarity that would last for months. Whether real or illusory, these experiences inspired in me an acute sense of the astonishing miraculousness of everything. To this day I feel that somehow these experiences may have caused an acceleration in the progress of my artwork. Perhaps this leap in my artistic ability was the result of my newfound focus and devotion, but what was unfolding was an imagery that would be the basis of my work today. Many years later, it would be the entheogenic experience that would recharge my inspired reverence for the ecstatic visionary possibilities of the imagination. . I would come to view my drawings after this period as mystical love poems to the soul. I would often relate to the female figures of my artwork as dakini messengers or as an anima mediatrix to the dimensions within, the projected mirror of the soul. For me, drawing and painting became soul-crafting. The imagery began to develop the quality of a revived Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic, or rather a contemporary sacred symbolism with a predominant emphasis on the eternal feminine. I began to master the airbrush which allowed me to create a sculptural photographic look with incredible subtlety. It also allowed me to refine values and design with an almost unconscious immediacy that balanced well with my controlled conscious intent. My approach to the creative process is always a fine balance between order and chaos. Feeling the need to contribute transformative images of beauty to the collective imagination, my imagery would develope an implicit antithesis to H. R. Giger's artwork. I felt driven to show in my work the liberation of the body and soul out of the dark depths of decay and perverse eroticism. By sublimating the erotic towards an angelic sensuality and by using ascension and rebirth symbolism, a sacred eros would emerge as the predominant theme of my work. Not the erotic as simply the sexual, but as our bodily communion with the living flow and rhythms of energy. I can feel this primordial living energy flow through me as I paint, forming into the sensual movement of a transfiguring biosophic flame that flows through and around the figures in my imagery, suspending them in an ecstatic moment, an eternal dance poised on the threshold of a new birth. It is the archetypal dance of the sphere and the serpentine movement of form. The dance of the spermatozoa and the ovum, the serpent and the egg, the dragon and the pearl and the life giving waters of the comet and the sacred ground of the earth.