Know Artists : Part Five

The following is the fifth installment to the upcoming “Know” art exhibition to be held at this year’s Art Now Fair in Miami. “Know” will be an eclectic collection and a great opportunity for collectors to review artists who have all created customized art pieces specifically for this show. Hope to see you there.


Through striking visual imagery, Jeff Soto communicates profound visions and fears, nostalgia of his youth, and themes of love, lust, and hope. Soto’s distinct color palette, subject matter, technique and bold themes resonate with a growing audience. Inspired by childhood toys, the colorful lifestyle of skateboarding and graffiti, hip-hop and popular culture, Soto’s work is simultaneously accessible and stimulating. Check out his latest painting, entitled "Five Stars." For more information about Jeff and all of his goodness, check out www.jeffsoto.com


Ryan Heshka pays homage to the “Golden” era Scifi Pulp on a prolific scale. Being born into a low-tech era, Ryan often explores narrative themes of man vs. nature, or woman vs. man. Ryan’s latest acrylic and collage painting entitled, “Up Yours,” compliments his thematic stance nicely. You can see Ryan on the latest cover of “BLAB,” or at www.ryanheshka.com


AJ Fosik”s, “untitled were head,” is an enamel on wood sculpture— one part cryptic puzzle and one part ingenious assemblage. AJ is a master assembler of bits of wood, color and glass to create beasts of war, enraged by life’s unfortunate circumstance. AJ’s work is sculptural in nature, as geometric shapes, and flowing line patterns entrance the viewer. Check AJ out on the web, just Google his name, and presto, there he is.


Gordon Wiebe’s conceptual style strikes an emotional chord, connecting with the viewer in layered levels of understanding. Humor, drama, joy and the melancholic all make an appearance in his work. Gordon’s painterly style, fragmented with collage, incorporates distinctly expressive figures into richly colored, spare landscapes, as seen in his latest, “hesitant bather.” Visit www. gordonwiebe.com to see more of Gordon Wiebe’s colorful mixed media paintings.


Greg “Craola” Simkins’ artistic career started when he was introduced to spray paint in 1993. Greg’s stylized approach became immediately recognizable, thus “Craola” was born. Greg soon transitioned his talents and focused on painting with acrylics . His unique color usage and blending techniques became another signature trait. Greg Simkins’ graffiti lettering style is seen in the way his characters twist and morph, forming into beastly creatures. You can check out more of Greg’s work at www.imscared.com


Gary Taxali has created two paintings, “French” and “Fry” for the “Know” exhibition. Gary describes, “These are personal paintings which are an extension of a series of shows over the last few years about the theme of lunch counters and diners. I see them as icons of the fast food industry.” For a peek at more of Gary’s sculpts, paintings and mixed media pieces look to www.garytaxali.com


Erik Mark Sandberg is a Los Angeles based artist who constructs complex narratives out of bits of digital bytes, painted surface, print making techniques and geometric scrawl. Erik’s unique style and oversized canvas has earned him multiple opportunities to exhibit his work. Erik’s cyanotype with acrylic, silkscreen and India ink is entitled, “Just Leaving Evansville.” For more information on Erik, please check out www.eriksandberg.net


The “Fallen Series : Acquisition,” by Kathie Olivas is a oil on wood painting that continues her celebration of a post apocalyptic universe filled with her mutant children. Kathie draws you in with her rich, seductive color and chillike tropes only to leave you mystified and perturbed by her disturbing fantasies. Visit www.miserychildren.com and enjoy more of Kathie’s paintings and her upcoming book release, “Ghosts and Martyrs.”


Jonathan Viner is a Brooklyn, based artist, who lends his brush to the sinister. Jonathan paints mysteries, and like a savory piece of fiction, his paintings plunge the viewer into the center of a conspiracy in process. Jonathan’s piece is a sketch that will be offered in concert with his book, “A Tranquil Aftermath.” To see more of Jonathan’s work visit, www.viner.biz


Cynthia von Buhler’s enigmatic paintings impart their meaning through symbol, design, and narrative. Her surreal three-dimensional works blend Renaissance portraiture and messianic figures with natural objects. In von Buhler’s art, butterflies, snakes, birds, and plants are set into cages, boxes, and peepholes to serve as metaphors for the human condition. The layered gouache paintings and their performance accoutrements are both poignant and mischievous. Her website, www.cynthiavonbuhler.com is akin to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole. "My Friend Dora Gray Has Mona Lisa Eyes" on display in the KNOW exhibit, although 2-D, is also interactive—“No matter how you look at ‘Dora Gray’ her eyes will move and look away from you.”


Tommii Lim’s paintings capture the Urban American mythic through the eyes of a “minority” race dealing with social, cultural and political challenges. Tommii often uses figures with masks or unidentifiable faces as a symbol of the silent majority in America. Tommii Lim’s latest mixed media piece, “Make Hype, Not Love,” is about personal frustrations when exposed to the overwhelming importance of commercialized “hype” over “substance” in our society. You can check updates for Tommii Lim’s work and events at www.tommiilim.blogspot.com


Luke Chueh's (pronounced CHU), “Shit Ball” is a 8” x 8” acrylic and ink painting that is a continuation of his animal character series. Employing minimal color schemes, simple animal characters, and a seemingly endless list of ill-fated situations, Chueh stylistically balances cute with brute, walking the fine line between comedy and tragedy. You can see more of Luke’s work at www.lukechueh.com


Tim Hussey’s mixed media on paper painting is entitled “Intent.” Tim describes, “Progressively my imagery is pairing down, editing and editing, knowing that nothing will be the perfect ending. Faces, postures and objects become less recognizable as the need for answers dissipates. To capture the truth is an endless swim against the river without a limb in sight, and endlessly I’ll work to display my own.” You can see more of Tim’s painted works at www.zeitgeist-art.com