INVURT

Super cool creative things coming up this week in Collingwood! Rambler Collective is putting on a show featuring Hollie M Kelley & Ryan McGennisken, two amazingly talented fine artists. We’ve actually already had the pleasure of interviewing them in the past, and each artists style and vision are completely unique, and quite dreamlike in their own way.

Hollie M Kelly creates amazing illustrations of watercolour and ink based on nostalgic notions and ideas from childhood, transporting her viewers into a time from memories, long past. Her delicate mixed media works allow the mind to wander down a path of innocence and simple appreciation for her beautiful skill. Check out her interview for more insight into her works.

Ryan McGennisken is also a wizard of the watercolour, who often creates work to play on the dreamlike qualities of the mind. His detailed fantasy worlds create a sense of intrigue, leaving us curious and searching each picture to decipher the meaning within. Take a look at his interview and to see a small sample of his amazing awe inspiring work.

This show combines the talents of both these guys, and goddamn it is truly an illustrators dream to see what they may create together. The show will comprise not only of drawings but installations also!

"We are the fragments of a small portion of the universe’s timeline, we will remain for a duration, but before this timeframe, how many years was the world here before us and how long after death will the universe go on? Something, to touch, to think, to move, to breath, feel, love. To be afraid or braver than you could have ever imagined. There is a special place between sleep and wake where thoughts, dreams and matter culminate – does life matter and if it does, how are you crafting your fragment of time?"

Check out some of these preview images …

Will you be there to see these amazing creations? We certainly will!

Who:  Hollie M Kelley  &  Ryan McGennisken
What: Sleep and Wake Exhibition
Where: 66a Johnston Street, Collingwood
When: Show opens Friday 25th May from 6pm til 9pm and runs til the 4th of June

Check out the facebook event page and The Egg Gallery website for more information.

This looks like a beauty! The Butcher Shop in Perth is hosting a sweeet opening next Friday -  the second solo exhibition by local artist Yohyo. We’ve seen some of his stuff before, and its super cool and detailed. The guy works in mediums such as pencil, acrylic, ink and creates some pretty crazy large scale murals in aerosol, so this show’s lookin’ pretty tasty …

"Following a successful exhibition in 2009, Black and Blue explores the perception of depth and colour using a strict palette of black and blue ink on paper. This collection of super detailed ink works portrays themes of exploration, science and violence. "

Yohyo delves into creepy and sometimes morbidly beautiful subject matter, and often draws his inspiration from wildlife, late night train rides and the grotesqueness of the human form itself. If you’re around it’ll be an awesome one to check out for sure!

Who: Yohyo
What: Black & Blue Solo Show
Where: The Butcher Shop, 276 William Street Northbridge, Perth, WA
When: Show opens Friday 18th May, from 6pm til 8.30pm and runs until the 4th of June.

Check out The Butcher Shop website and the facebook event page for more info.

Backwoods, as usual, are putting on an awesome new show next week by a super cool and talented Melbourne artist. This time it’s the likes of Ghostpatrol, a guy who was definitely one of Melbourne’s first and most inspiring street artists.

Ghostpatrol smashed it at his last exhibition in Backwoods last year, and we can’t wait to see the amazing magical things he has created this time. As an artist, he is most famous for the amazing worlds and characters he creates, each with such personality that they demand attention. He works across many mediums, and his works inspire each person who sees them to think in an alternate way, outside of the world as we know it.

Ghostpatrol’s quirky contraptions are seen not only on canvas and board, but most divinely on the streets of Melbourne, ranging from pasteups to eye catching large scale murals.

This show is comprised of 5 large scale works on linen, appropriate size to tackle the intense questions of the universe it seems..

‘Across this new series of paintings, the artist imagines shapes and forms created in the super future, beyond human kind in the great transformations of matter and dark matter in the cosmos.

That’s not to say that the work presented is intense in nature, with Ghostpatrol’s highly stylised worlds inhabited by characters as curious about their place on the canvas as their artist is about his in the cosmos. “My studies of cosmology and the evolving quantum theory set the scene for the worlds I create,” says Ghostpatrol, noting the recent work of scientists Michio Kaku and Brian Cox as inspirational touchstones.’

Here are some sneaky shots from the upcoming show..

Check out some more here – we’re totally excited for this! See you there!

Who: Ghostpatrol
What: Cosmic Scale and The Super Future Solo Show
Where: Backwoods Gallery, 25 Easey Street, Collingwood
When: Show opens Friday 18th May, from 6pm til 9pm and runs until the 13th of June.

Check out the Backwoods Gallery website and the facebook event page for more info!

Holy freakin moly, this is exciting! This Friday night, Phibs and Beastman, two artists working out of Sydneys Higher Ground studios, are both having solo shows – on the same night, each mere metres away from each other in Collingwood! You know the work is going to be awesome.

“Spread across two galleries on the same Collingwood block, the duel exhibitions will present the the styles, connections, influences and friendship of two of Australia’s leading street artists.

The opening night party will take place across the neighborhood with the extension of murals between the two galleries.”

PHIBS

Phibs has been huge on the street scene for some years now, and his colourful detailed line work is found  heavily both in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as in the corners streets all over the world.

“Phibs distinctive style signifies the symbiotic, engaging the urban with the organic. He produces works across a vast variety of mediums and consistently reflects his own unique realms of symbolism, multiculturalism and mythology. Largely inspired by nature, his works have spawned a menagerie of signature characters.”

BEASTMAN

Brad Eastman, most commonly known as Beastman, presents a show continuing on from his exhibition “Cosmic Nature.” Having also painted globally, Beastman’s unique style can be recognised for its flowing, tribal style characters, bright fill in and heavy black outlines.

“Beastman’s innovative new paintings explore the futuristic and overwhelming idea of nature coming to life in a way we could have never imagined. The artist’s new colour palette and further development of his distinctive style reflect the different elements of our young world and the organic lines and often symmetrical geometric patterns found in nature. The deities featured in his ambitious new works are a representation of nature progressing beyond the boundaries of our imagination, when the cosmic forces of nature eventually reveal the irrelevance of humanity in the universe.”

This show will feature not only Beastman’s new works – but also an installation of drawings, sketches and other materials, which allow us to see into the thoughts, motives and processes of the work this artist has created over the last two years.

Can’t wait to check this out, so much artwork, both in the galleries and on the walls in between – this is major talent overload!!

Who: Phibs & Beastman
What: Perfectly Imperfect
Where: House Of Bricks, 40 Budd Street, Collingwood
When: Show opens Friday 27th April from 6-9pm

Who: Beastman
What: Natural Progression
Where: Backwoods Gallery, 25 Easey Street, Collingwood
When: Show opens Friday 27th April from 6-9pm

Check out the Everfresh website and the facebook event page for more info!

Looking through his work, Jasper Wong is a seriously talented guy. His illustrations are amazingly quirky, clever and unique, and with a heavy dose of asian-influenced pop culture. Jasper has a hugeeee portfolio of work, with involvement with people and themes such as Star Wars, Nike and Hypebeast, to name but a few … wow! He’s also the curator and organiser of the fantastic Pow Wow event in Hawai’i.

Jasper is Hawai’i and Hong Kong based, but has had shows in Japan, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, France, London, Chicago, Mexico, and now comes down here to Melbourne to speak at the Carbon Festival this weekend!

As part of this years Carbon, Jasper will also be putting on a solo exhibition at No Vacancy Project Space in Federation Square. They get some crazy talented illustrators in that space, and Mr. Wong is no different! Looking forward to seeing what he’s contrived for this one, and stay tuned for the interview ahead …

Who: Jasper Wong
What: Solo Show
Where: No Vacancy Project Space, Federation Square Space, Melbourne
When: Show opens Saturday 28th April and runs until the 6th of May.

Check out Jasper’s website and the No Vacancy website  for more info, as well as the Carbon Festival website.

ArtBoy presents the debut exhibition of Melbourne artist and Illustrator BRUYN. This guy’s been doing some pretty cool things since we last saw his stuff at the Artboy vs Fanboy Exhibition!

BRUYN’s work comes from a background in illustration in the toy industry, an influence which is obvious in his work. It’s cute, yet kinda badass, funky work – most of which seems to have already sold before the opening of the show! We’re a fan of his crazy creations, characters and worlds of a darker existence. In this show it looks like he’s experimented with not only board and canvas but also skate decks, always interesting!

"In an attempt to seize control of Hub City once and for all, Rabbit has raised a cloned army of rabbits and is erasing all who oppose him. As always, it falls upon Bear and his band of brothers to quash this latest insurrection.

But now a new threat is emerging!

For within the inky depths of a nearby forest, a Sacred Acorn Tree has become contaminated, spawning an army of ferocious zombie squirrels!As brain-hungry rodents infest the city, Rabbit and Bear must put aside differences and unite to combat this new undead enemy!"

Whaaaaat! Here’s a small preview of the show …

Looking really cool, love it! We’ll see you there!

Our friends at Paradise Hills bring us another interesting talent filled show, this time featuring the first solo show of up and coming Melbourne artist Hamishi. We’ve seen some really cool work by this artist, and his style is geometric, colourful & fresh.

Despite being fairly youthful in age, this guy has already had his work included in quite a few exhibitions, not only in Melbourne and Tasmania, but in Berlin and San Francisco as well.

"Deterministically speaking, the present is an amalgamation of everything previous to it. Nothing superfluous and nothing special. In a broader sense the same applies to art and death. Hyper reality is a product of good art and good death. Hamishi weighs honesty and glorified hyper reality to prove the world shouldn’t doesn’t exist as he builds it."

Sounds hectic in all the right ways – and we’re looking forward to seeing what he’s been doing lately, see you there!

We’ve seen some pretty cool and crazy shit over the years, and this looks like one of those things too whack to miss! From what looks like the love child of all those kooky left-of-centre sci-fi movies from childhood, and terrible, badly engineered addictive video games – comes Hyper Reality Dimension XX – a group show taking us back to all the things that we loved and probably partially destroyed our brain cells in our younger years.

"Hyper Reality Dimension XX is an express ticket to the world of electric cult mythologies birthed during the antiquated age of CRT TV, VHS, and NES. Via various techniques and mediums 20 artists regurgitate and re-imagine the cult classics that they so readily devoured during their youth, expressing the oddities and splendour of the modern electric age that has shaped their early years and has infiltrated their art practice today.

Featuring artists Jodee Knowles, Chris Yee, Rebecca Murphy, HOUL, KID9, OX, Bafcat, Claire Orrell, Sam Octigan, Lizzie Nagy, Gerald Leung, Luke Marcatili, BOB, Iconica, Ala Paredes, Bryn Desmond-Jones, Jonathan Verzosa, Sam Hoh, Jacob Rolfe, and Jin Hien Lau. "

Plus, at the opening there’s live art, as well as future beats and rhythms provided by Misworthy and Alice Whyte – shweeeeet!

Who: Jodee Knowles, Chris Yee, Rebecca Murphy, HOUL, KID9, OX, Bafcat, Claire Orrell, Sam Octigan, Lizzie Nagy, Gerald Leung, Luke Marcatili, BOB, Iconica, Ala Paredes, Bryn Desmond-Jones, Jonathan Verzosa, Sam Hoh, Jacob Rolfe, and Jin Hien Lau
What: Hyper Reality Dimension XX Group Exhibition
Where: aMBUSH Gallery, 4a James St, Waterloo, Sydney
When: Show opens Thursday 19th April from 6pm til 9pm, and runs til the 30th.

Check out the Facebook event page and the aMBUSH Gallery website for more info!

WOW! Always love seeing art which is created from a totally new perspective. Bite Collective are hosting a Group show next week for NZ Music Month, and each of the artworks is actually inspired by NZ music. Lovely and interesting! Some familiar and some faces new to us will be showing their work, and there will be live music performances at the opening by Whitireia.

Artists included in the show are:

• Marty Vreede –  printmaker, paper pioneer, inspirational teacher
• Sheyne Tuffery – visual artist, gallery owner, fine art tutor
• Elliot ‘Askew1′ O’Donnell – graffiti artist, graphic design, illustration, photography
• Matthew McIntyre-Wilson –  jeweler and sculptor
• Basia Smolnicki - printmaker, art tutor
• Nestor Opetaia – painter and musician
• Christine Imlay-McLean – jeweler and creator of ‘Black Agnes’
• Spring Rees – jeweler
• Reweti Arapere – mixed media
• The Bite Collective – Fleur Ruth, Chloe Reweti and Rachael Gannaway –printmaking and 3D

Who: Askew One, Basia Smolnicki, Fleur Ruth, Chloe Rewati, Christine Imlay-Mclean, Marty Vreede, Matthew McIntyre Wilson, Nestor Opetaia, Rachael Gannaway, Reweti Arapere, Sheyne Tuffery and Spring Rees
What: Hear it, See it Group Exhibition
Where: Bottle Creek Gallery, Pataka, Wellington, NZ
When: Show opens Thursday April 19th from 6pm

Check out the Bite Collective website for more info!

We’ve got a two parter event for you today, as the talents of Australia’s most skilled ‘graff’ ladies come together this month in Perth! Babe collective Ladie Killerz is having their 5th exhibition, and it’s looking to be a treat, with works from talented ladies Australia wide.

"Graffiti inspired artworks by Australia’s most prolific graffiti, street and lowbrow artists. A searious swag full of ladies in the lineup!

Artists: 23rd Key, Brooke Bobridge, Damsel, Deb, Chez, Fleur, Gemma Jones, Heart, Hiden, Ishk, Isis, Ilsa Bennion, Jianna Lucia, Joske, Keos, Lady Bananas, Maiden, Meows, Nicole Tattersall, Poise, Poison Ivee, Rachee Renee, Rebecca Murphy, Sakie, Searious Jones, Skies, Snot Rag, Thorn + Toots Magee"

We’ve seen the amazing skills of these artists on our walls, signs & street corners here in Melbourne and across the country so many times over the past few years, and we can’t wait to see this next iteration … Perth, don’t miss the opportunity to see this one!

Who:  23rd Key, Brooke Bobridge, Damsel, Deb, Chez, Fleur, Gemma Jones, Heart, Hiden, Ishk, Isis, Ilsa Bennion, Jianna Lucia, Joske, Keos, Lady Bananas, Maiden, Meows, Nicole Tattersall, Poise, Poison Ivee, Rachee Renee, Rebecca Murphy, Sakie, Searious Jones, Skies, Snot Rag, Thorn + Toots Magee
What: Ladie Killerz #5 Group exhibition
Where: HQ Gallery, 60a Frame Court, Leederville, Perth
When: Show opens Friday 20th April from 6 – 9pm, and closing party is on Friday 27th April, from 5-8pm

Ladie Killerz Wall Jam

… aaaanndd then there’s also the Wall Jam also happening! Two days of only ladies getting down for some live painting action!

"A searious swag load of ladie writers; Argue, Chez, Damsel, Diva, Fleur, Heart, Hiden, Ishk, Jesone, Joske, Keos, Lady Bananas, Maiden, Meows, Poise, Sakie, Sear, Skies, Snotrag + Thorn! BBQ + beats on demand – bring your chump change for a snag.

PS. secret additional paint spot to be announced at the ART EXHIBITION closing party, Friday 27th April – don’t sleep!"

Good times, good beats and good skills.. what more could you ask for!!??

This is a huge and exciting one, not to be missed if you are in the area!

‘As the Adelaide Fringe and Festival have just finished up, Espionage Gallery is offering up the hottest Screenprints, Giclee Prints, Etchings, and Stencil Prints by some of Australia’s best printmakers. With budget in mind, all works are limited edition prints aimed at even the money conscience art buyer.’

It’s going to be a quick show, running for three days only – and with well priced, amazing, limited edition works up on offer, which art fiend can resist? This will be Espionage’s most ambition group show yet – featuring the works of 30+ artists!"

We’re well familiar with the awesome work of many of the artists in this show, and by the looks of it there’s going to be sooo much cool stuff to check out and/or grab!

Who: Ankles, Caitlin Millard, Chris Edser, Daniel Purvis, Donovan Christie, Fletch, Fruzsi Kenez, Gary Seaman, HEX 1, JAKE ONE, JAKE TWO, Jayson Fox, Jelena V, Jenny Allnutt, John Engelhardt, Joshua Miels, Joshua
Searson, Joshua Smith, Kate Kowald, Kerri Ann Wright, Lilian Choo, Lindsey Bryant, Lucas Croall, Mustachio, Peter Fong, Pip Kruger, Rose Swincer, SCATTERBRAIN, Suzie Lockery, Tiff Rysdale, Tom Borgas, TWOONE and more
What: Limited Edition Group Print show
Where: Espionage Gallery, Suite 1, Level 2, 93 Rundle Mall, Adelaide (entrance off Lindes Lane)
When: Show opens Thursday 5th of April at 6pm until Sunday 8th

Check out the Espionage Gallery website and Facebook event page for more info!

Sydney’s Lo-Fi Collective brings us another exciting show, featuring the collaboration of two extremely talented ‘mates’ from Sydney and Brisbane.

Scott Marsh, an artist who smashes out amazing street murals and pieces on a frequent basis, and Guido Van Helten, with his large scale solid colour creations, bring their efforts together in the Lo-Fi space.

‘A border crossing collaboration between two mates from two states, ‘States of mind’ brings together the mindsets and styles of two artist’s work generated through years of street art and graffiti collaboration from Brisbane to Sydney.

This exhibition will feature the varied spectrum of their work from live video projection to works on canvas, presenting the emergence of the artist’s as an up and coming fixture in the current lowbrow scene.’

We’re big fans of both these artists work, and this show is going to be amazing!

Who: Scott Marsh & Guido Van Helten
What: States of Mind exhibition
Where: Lv 3, 383 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
When: Show opens Thursday 5th April at 6pm

Check out the Lo-Fi Collective website for more info!

Something a little bit different, maybe a little bit twisted, but still cool, clean and captivating. Hilton Owen, an amazing artist who has been huge on the Australian scene since his first solo show at 17 years of age, and at 22 has already had many (and we mean MANY) solo shows around the country – and now he’s back for another!

"This collection, entitled ”New Paintings 2012” is Hilton at his best – showcasing a unique style which has been described as a ”wonderful mixture of figurative and abstract art fused together”

In Hilton’s work, the mundane and the ordinary become beautifully crafted modern works of art. There is a synergy in his work between the object and the person, the action and the ideas – interwoven with a nostalgic antique colour palette."

Hilton Owen produces interesting and Nuevo-nostalgic works, which totally invite you in to take a closer look – to decipher the message and meaning behind … if you’re in Sydney, totally worth checking out!

Who: Hilton Owen
What: New Paintings 2012 Exhibition
Where: 82 Marlborough Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
When: Show opens Thursday 29th March at 6pm, and runs until 15th April

Check out the Friends of Leon Gallery website for more info and to check out some of the featured works!

Creative collective Zonk Vision is hosting their long awaited group show, which if it’s anything like the preview videos -  will be totally trippy and kooky – and uniquely artsy in all the right, totally weird, totally uncomfortable ways.

Check out the mind boggling preview vids here and here.

The show features the insanely colourful and crazy personalities of Jason Galea, Danny Wild, Greg Holden, Instant (FYG), Leagues & Gore.

"The show will feature live VHS manipulation, works on a strange range of medium and a special live performance…
Not to mention a 30 min+ premiere of completely new video works from the whole Zonk Vision and Steady Bumpen family."

We’re super intrigued by this one … must go check it out!

Who: Jason Galea, Danny Wild, Greg Holden, Instant (FYG), Leagues & Gore
What: Zonk Vision presents Well Wisher, Group show
Where: House of Bricks, 40 Budd Street, Collingwood, VIC
When: Show opens Friday 30th March at 7pm, Screening starts at 8.30pm

Check out the Zonk Vision blog for more info!

Creatives rejoice! We’ve all been to some killer art and design conferences in the past, so we know just how amazingly inspiring and empowering they can be – well here’s a brand new one to stir up the ideas, passion and motivation that we may have – or have not – been lacking lately..!

Through a collaboration between creative ‘boss lady’ the Jacky Winter Group, who have been representing amazing illustrators across Australasia since 2007, and creative community Australian INfront, comes ‘Field Trip’ -  a creative conference doing things in a way that we’ve never seen before!

Who: Beci Orpin, Travis Price, Tong & Danny, Jeremy Ley, Tin&Ed, 21-19 and Toby&Pete
What: Field Trip creative conferance
Where: ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne
When: Friday, 20th April

For more info and to buy tix, check out the website!!

Sydney’s Lo-Fi Collective are no strangers to producing amazing shows and events that huddle together insanely talented individuals.

This event, "Canvas Cooler" features some of Australia’s top street artists in collaboration with Red Bull, who will be creating their artwork (of amazing proportion) in a totally different  and cool way. The project already hit London as well as also totally rocked White Walls Gallery San Francisco last year – and Sydney is next.

"The Canvas Cooler Project is decking out eleven of Sydney’s premier watering holes with original artwork by 11 of Australia’s leading street artists. Using Red Bull fridges as a new medium, some of Australia’s most recognised names in street art will transform the humble cooler into a work of art inspired by each bar’s décor. Venues include Upstairs Beresford, The Norfolk, Hunky Dory, Bucket List and Lo Fi."

The event, curated by Marty Routledge, includes a crazy line up of artists such as Beastman, Numskull, Phibs, Roachy, Thomas Jackson, Will Lynes, Esjay, Brent Smith, Well Dressed Vandals, Kerupt and Peque.

Here’s a quick teaser video of the event …

The eleven works of brilliance in cooler form will be revealed at an exclusive exhibition event at Lo Fi Collective in Sydney’s Surry Hills, at the end of March.

Who: Beastman, Numskull, Thomas Jackson,Roach, Peque, Kerupt, Phibs, Well Dressed Vandals, Will Lynes, Brent Smith, and Esjay.
What: Red Bull Curates The Canvas Cooler Project Event and Exhibition
Where: Opening event will be held at Lo Fi Collective @ The Standard  Floor 3, 383 Bourke St, Surry Hills
When: Event is held on Thursday 29th March from 7.30pm.

Check out the facebook event, as well as the Lo-Fi Collective website for more info.