Secret Still

James Jean is one of the most prolific artists ever, if you look at the drawings, sketches, paintings, illustrations, comics covers, etc., and he’s also super nice and very calm. Lucky for us, the plethora of work that he produces also means that he has to update his website fairly often to stay current. Just such a thing has happened, and you should take some time out of your busy schedule of masturbating and eating nachos to go check out the slew of new work he’s dropped on the unsuspecting internets. His sketchbooks alone should keep you occupied until sometime around dawn.

James Jean

If that title didn’t tip you off, Aaron Nagel (previously mentioned) is opening a show of new works at the Shooting Gallery in SF. You’ve seen a couple of them from his website, but for the most part these are all glimpsing the light of day for the first time on Saturday. That’s this Saturday, March 6th, from 7-11pm, when the show opens to what I’m assuming will be the usual attractive 20-30’s crowd of SF art lovers, and one guy from Oakland, carrying a skateboard and drinking homebrews out of his backpack. Yeah, I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to glimpse Nagel’s masterpieces in person, even if glimpsing is all I can afford. If, unlike me, you can’t get to San Francisco with a simple train ride under several millions tons of salt water, there are plenty of images of the new show for your eyes to lust over, and even a visual visit to Nagel’s studio in Oakland (why didn’t I know that was only a few blocks from me?). Be there in person or be there in spirit, but there’s no excuse for you to not see these fine works.

Aaron Nagel: Marks
Aaron Nagel Studio Visit

For the most part, and speaking only for myself here, dreams are strange, but not overly so. Generally I dream about the kinds of things I see or encounter, or could encounter in the world. My dreams aren’t peopled with fantastic and terrible monsters or surrealist images of the world come apart. I don’t think the same can be said for Paris-based artist Sebastien Faraut, aka NIARk1. His jagged, colorful, kinetic style makes me think that his dreams take place in a dimension otherwise undiscovered by dreamers like me, where monsters consume the world in day-glo hues like a Barbarella acid trip through the South American jungle. Maybe it’s because his painting style reminds me of Jeff Soto, but Faraut has inspired me to pick up a brush for the first time in a long time, which is the only compliment ever worth giving. Now I just need to come up with the dreams to back up my paintbrush. Let’s hope some late night Thai food does the trick.

NIARk1

Two words: Fuck Yes.

Kyle Jorgensen

Secret Still “top 3 artists of all time” resident for life Matt Haber (previously interviewed) hit me up with an electronic mailing spreading the word about his newly revamped and updated website, and newly created Etsy store. The website is smooth, simple, and elegant, and the Etsy site is just plain crazy seeing as how I can probably afford one of those originals. And so I’m telling you, friends and family, because we should all be able to share in the joy. Just try not to buy everything before I can scrape together the cash to make my dreams come true, ok? Ok.

http://www.mrhaber.net/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sleepingthief

Karim Hamid magnifies and distorts the traditionally sexualized and objectified view of women in the modern media through the use of sloppy washes, crude lines, and nude forms. Think of it as the shared heterosexual male idea of women, but skewed to the predatory extremes emphasized by popular culture. It would be satire if it were funny instead of just true.

Karim Hamid

Those are some sexy ink lines swirling crazily over some beautiful, classical paintings. If I were the kind of guy who fetishized artwork, I would be very, very aroused right now. Lucky for you and most of my co-workers, I only get turned on by photos of cheeseburgers being stepped on by women wearing swimfins. I say most of my co-workers, because I’m sure some of them would be into me having to do a sexy dance around the office to relieve my sexual frustration. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, Steven Tabbutt is fucking rad.

Steven Tabbutt

Got an email this morning from Denverian (Denverite? Denveranian?) Max Kauffman tipping me to his work, and that, sir, is a good tip. Kauffman’s got a somewhat dirty and overlapping watercolor style that puts me in mind of Brian Buchanan’s stuff from back in the day. You can bet your ass that if I had an extra $175 to throw around, I would be the proud new owner of that work shown above, so if you do, you should. If you’ve got moths in your wallet like me, then enjoy the pretty internet pictures and watch Max’s rising career shoot everything even further out of your price range.

Max Kauffman

If you’re looking for a way to kill the last few hours of the work day, or the first few hours of the non-work day (for those of you not in PST), then consider them dead and gone because Narwhal Projects has a giant preview of Gary Taxali’s new show, “The Taxali 300,” available for your viewing pleasure. That’s right, 300 paintings/drawings from the prolific and amazing Gary Taxali, the Canadian wonder. You can also buy them, but I don’t want to pressure you into something like that. You haven’t even had dinner yet. Get comfortable, relax, get out of those work clothes, and then maybe we’ll talk about buying some art.

Gary Taxali: The Taxali 300

How have you not been on my radar before, Graham Robinson? With your birches, boats, and beards, it seems like we should’ve been acquainted a while ago. Well, it’s nice to meet you now. You keep that good shit coming, and I’ll make sure you’ll always have free beer when you’re in San Francisco. That’s what friends are for.

Graham Robinson