I am a hypocrite. There, I admitted it. It is right there in black and white, or orange and black as the case may be. What, exactly, am I being hypocritical about this time? Film, specifically remakes and homages. In principal I don’t like the idea of remakes. I started thinking about this when I read the latest rumor going around the film world.
Can a bloody, violent film based on a graphic novel be art? Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that it can be. 300, the second of Frank Miller’s works to be given the big screen treatment, is cinematic art at its finest. Poetic, operatic, graceful (thanks Kat)…300 is a relentless ballet of passion and pain; blood and the brutality of ancient warfare dancing gloriously across the screen.
Week after week I leave little doubt as to my enthusiasm over the artists whose work I am presenting. This week, however, I am even more excited than usual. For today I bring you the work of one of the foremost fantasy illustrators working today: Kinuko Y. Craft.
Kinuko Y. Craft is not only an obvious fit for a month focusing on fantasy/fairy tale art, but her feature here coincides with the recent release of her first art book, pictured above. I will share more about this fantastic book at the end of the post. The image pictured is just a part of the cover for the book Od Magic by Patricia A. McKillip (If you click on the above picture it will open up an example of the full cover image).
If you have come to the conclusion that I have been a lazy blogger lately, you would be partially correct! The number of posts per week has gone waaaay down over the past few weeks. I apologize. Acclimating to my new position at work, myriad other little projects that need doing, and the desire to just sit and rest have taken up much of my time lately. Add to that the fact that our work computer and phone system is down (no blog visiting during work time! the horror!) and you’ll see why I have been absent. I’ll be back on track soon. Today’s post will be a bit schizophrenic, hence the title. Put your seat belts on, folks, and away we go.
(Mimic)
As we roar into March, the rumored Fantasy/Fairy Tale Challenge is mere weeks away from being unveiled. In the spirit of said challenge, my Friday Favorites will begin to swing towards art that falls into those categories. It is a broad challenge, and the art I will showcase for you will reflect both new and classic works that fall into the realm of the fantastic. I promise you a wide variety. Today I bring you the art of Raymond Swanland.
Viewing the above image, Mimic (one I believe I’ve posted before if it looks familiar), with its gorgeous butterflies, reminds me of spring. The oranges are the fires of autumn and yet I view the image and I think of the genesis of growth, and life, and creation…the foundations of spring. Please join me in inaugurating March with the work of Raymond Swanland.