Creative Thresholds

by Enrico Gaveglia

These photos are impressions from walking through countries plagued by years of civil wars and conflict. They’ve rarely been able to return to a normal, peaceful life. The drama of war remains for generations in the DNA of the people; it doesn’t matter if you experience the tragedy firsthand. Even new borns, in relatively quiet moments of peace,  have the tag of the sorrow in their genetics, and it takes time to get rid of it. Places, buildings, art expression on streets–all speak as tokens of lives who perished too soon and can talk no more.

Always Cocacola, Morocco © http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

Arab Spring, Libya © http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

Eyes, Libya © http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

Kathmandu, Nepal © http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

Journey, Central African Republic © http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

Enrico Gaveglia was born in 1975 in Tuscany, Italy. He developed kikontheroad some time back as he travels around the world. Direct life experiences often in countries plagued by latent conflicts have allowed him to walk through places of great charm and put him in contact with extraordinary people. Every now and then he collects accidental shots in testimony of his passages through places. It is only much later than he feels the need to internalize those unique experiences in intimate moments of reflection stolen from his daily routine as digital products of his work come to life in a reproduced altered reality.

Social media links:

http://kikontheroad.wordpress.com/

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/enrico-gaveglia.html

by Rey Foret

The human being is cast in two parts, visible and invisible. It is not my purpose to tell of the visible one, except when it is needed to serve as a likeness. For what could possibly better serve as a likeness than things that are alike? However, I will have more to say about the invisible, about which first of all the following example should be heeded. The visible body has an effect on all things; and all of its motions and actions are seen by the human being. But all of this is only half of the action performed; it is only that which we see. The other half is seen by no one. It is performed by the invisible body.

The nature of signs is deceitful and false, like a word that passes from the tongue without seriousness or heartfelt sincerity. Hence the mere fact of colors in things should not induce you to make a judgment and to submit to it; for neither the heavens nor the earth will stand by you: it is above all these things. But you should not think nor be assured of anything but that all things are in the image. That is, all things are formed. In this formation lies their anatomy. The human being is formed: his image is his anatomy.

There is a recurring structure in our (human) nature.
The way we feel, the way we move, our posture- all has an origin and counterpart in the wild.
Some coherences are hidden, some obvious while others must be guessed from what is left out.
There are patterns resembling the line of a poem. Sometimes they tell us about ourselves.
Like signatures.

(First two paragraphs quoted from the 2nd and 3rd book of Paracelsus, written around 1530)

scars #01

scars #04

scars #06

scars #07

scars #08

scars #09

scars #11

scars #14

scars #16

The pictures shown here are an excerpt of the photography „scars” series, taken in 2014.

Rey Foret (b. 1966) works and lives in the unattended forests in the south of Berlin, Germany.

Website: http://reyforet.com

by Thomas Krueger

Gymnasium

Here Comes the Train

Horse Rider

Stable

Trailer

Train Yard

Wall of Crates

Sky Trail

Beyond

Flight

Expanse #1

Expanse #2

Expanse #3

Artist: Thomas Krueger

Krueger’s images often present as the convergence of dual moments emanating from disparate worlds.  At the precise point of collision, they create singular integrated images that are at once surreal and experiential; the history of abandonment is revealed and celebrated in what Krueger interprets as its present day narrative of hope. His commentary is simultaneously innocent and dark, humorous and eerie.

Krueger’s work reflects his culturally diverse upbringing with a Japanese mother whose family descends from a long line of Kimono makers, and an American father stationed at a Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan. Krueger’s aesthetic and vision was cultivated at an early age when his father gave him a camera at age eight which eventually led to his first professional job as a staff photographer for The Seahawk, a Naval newspaper.

Paying tribute to both cultures, Krueger combines both traditions in the signing of his work with his American surname signature Krueger and his mother’s Hanko signature (Japanese ancestral name stamp) Niiro, a Samurai family name.

Krueger delves in various mediums but prefers film, both color and B&W. He enjoys perfecting his craft in the darkroom. He says, “In growing as a fine art photographer, I have embraced traditional darkroom techniques which I feel that one day may become a lost art in this world of digital technology. Time spent alone in the darkroom allows me to reflect and connect with my art.”

Krueger moved to Seattle in 1994 to study at The Art Institute of Seattle where he received a Degree in Commercial Photography.

Krueger is the recipient of multiple awards for his art. His work has been shown in solo and juried shows throughout Seattle, NYC, Miami, Atlanta, Switzerland, and Finland and has been featured in numerous publications internationally. Thomas continues to exhibit his work all over Seattle.

Website: http://kruegerphotos.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KruegerPhoto

Instagram: http://instagram.com/kruegerphoto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tekphoto

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomaskrueger/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tekphoto

by Maïa Citterio

Lost

Insomnia

Sempre Desire

Abstract Origine du monde

Instantly compose my abstract moon

Floating

Body want …

Loving insomnia

Insomnia __

Forget me not

Maïa Citterio … Art lover … Studied theater for 2 years at cours Florent Paris. Photography is the way for me to express myself my emotion feelings ( as a self therapy ) It fills my life !!!

I have the opportunity to travel a lot around the world, which influences my work, but the best is when I fly to the moon in my head !!!

www.twitter.com/maiafushi
Instagram.com/uni_klo_

by Karen McRae

About this series:

Landscape is everything – I think it shapes who we are in many ways, and how we perceive the landscape affects how we ourselves shape it in return.  The images I make, for the most part, are focused on our relationship with our ‘natural’ world. For me it is a relationship of deep love and respect but, of course, there is also the tension that comes from the challenges of actually living on that landscape. When I am making photographs it has often occurred to me that it would be difficult to make an image of place that hasn’t been manipulated by humankind in some way. Often I consciously make an effort to leave out those human traces but they are still there. There are footprints, ghosts, and bits of plastic in all of these photographs. There are probably gas fumes still floating in the ‘Shifting the Landscape’ series because they were all made from a moving car or while traveling on a train.  But there is something very beautiful about gazing out a window while traveling and watching the landscape slip by. It feels like an in-between sort of place full of possibilities and expectations. Those moments pull me back to those childhood experiences where exploring the landscape was pure adventure. Those places are still there to find and to connect to.  And these connections shape our world.

Wildflowers

Wild Grasses

Queen Anne’s Lace

Etched Autumn

Spring Blossoms

Amaranthine & Green

Part of the Landscape 1

Part of the Landscape  2

Taking Off

Karen McRae is and artist and photographer working in Ottawa, Ontario. She graduated from the Ottawa School of Art with a Diploma in Fine Art.

Paintings: http://www.saatchiart.com/karenmcrae

by Deborah Kanfer

I am drawn to the unknown, and I have found a way to explore this through the magic of analogue photography. The exploratory nature of the medium is infinite, and my work relies heavily on the element of chance. It’s an all-consuming experience that takes me on a mental journey. It’s when I feel grounded and most at peace.

My largest body of work is housed under the theme of Momento Mori, which means ‘Remember you are mortal’. Here, a curious kind of nostalgia is restored through the re-workings and meticulous experimentation of old family photographs juxtaposed with new photographed subjects and various ephemera; marriage licenses, I.D. books, hand written letters, newspaper clippings, maps, transit ticket stubs etc. These subjects allow me to embark on a search through a history of mine that is unknown to my physical being.

Merging the latter and creating layers with subjects I have photographed, a visual story begins to unfold. I have taken this method of creation a step further and have applied it to creating pieces, like this, for others; re-creating and restoring lost moments and cherished memories through art. I love challenging the conventions of traditional photo and memory archiving and transforming them into personalized photographic artworks.   I am fascinated by history of any kind and learning about the personal history of others enriches my work with many layers of old and new. A deep emotional connection between the individual and the artwork develops and nostalgia is restored.

Another theme I am currently expanding on is Cityscapes and Living Spaces. Travel plays a vital role in my life. It’s another passion that feeds my passion for photography and art. Having the opportunity to aimlessly wonder the streets of an unknown city and capturing various places and spaces is something else I just can’t get enough of. I like to describe this body of work as my visual travel autobiography; I am currently working on Toronto specific works as Toronto is where I am currently living and working.

Each and every photographic work is created through traditional analogue photographic technical practices. The process is an experiential art form in itself.

Originally from South Africa, Deborah Kanfer lives and works in Toronto as a photographic artist. Deborah is currently pursuing her venture in creating personalized photographic fine art works by conceptualizing and restoring nostalgia through art. She also creates a line of jewellery called Keepsake. Each Keepsake item displays a miniature photographic artwork, and all directly correspond to her large scale pieces. Through her work, Deborah aims to capture the mystery of the unknown and to draw the viewer closer. Here, she displays a seamless tie and connection between old and new. To keep abreast of Deborah’s work and showings, follow her on twitter: @deborahkanfer Instagram: @deborahkanfer, Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1s1w2Mp or simply visit her website: deborahkanfer.com.

Keepsake

personalized photographic fine art

personalized photographic fine art

by LizzieRz

ESTAMPA, graphic design on architectural design

ABOUT KISSES & HUGS, acrylic painting on canvas, digital photo, collage

RUN FREE, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

CHAIRS, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

WOMAN, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

OPOSTOS, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

1 MULHER 1 CADEIRA, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

ALONE, pencil and pen on paper and digital graphic design

MELANCIA, photography and acrylic painting

LARANJAS, photography and acrylic painting

LizzieRz is a Brazilian Architect and Urbanist, internationally recognized and quoted in the press for her artistic and architectural projects. Throughout her career she’s worked in a broad artistic universe–design, graphic design, painting, drawing, sculpture, and literature. As an artist, Liz likes to choose simple details in everyday context and expand them to reveal new patterns.

You can learn more about LizzieRz here:

http://www.lizzierz.com/

http://www.soulempreendimentos.com/

https://twitter.com/LizzieRz

by J. Adam McGalliard

“Pink Magnolias,” Oil on Linen

“Sunflower Fields,” Oil on canvas

“Troche”, Oil on canvas

“Allison,” Oil on Linen on Panel

“Antonia,” Oil on Panel

“After Arcimboldo 1,” C-Print

“After Arcimboldo 3,” C-Print

“Headless,” C-Print

“Intake,” C-Print

“The Scream,” C-Print

J. Adam McGalliard received an MFA from the New York Academy of Art with a scholarship for study and a BFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he was the recipient of the Myrtle Reeves Scholarship. McGalliard taught painting, drawing, and printmaking as a faculty member at the Sawtooth Center for Visual Art in Winston-Salem, NC. In New York, he taught as an Adjunct Painting Professor at Brooklyn College and the City University of New York. He also worked as a Post Graduate Teaching Assistant at the New York Academy of Art, NYC.  For Five years he worked as a painter and sculptor for world-renowned artist Jeff Koons.

His latest work is a series of photographs and paintings involving the projection of images on figures. The photographs are works in and of themselves while also informing the painting process. The projected image works as a double-edged sword. It can starkly reveal something that is hidden, like the writhing tattoos of the Illustrated Man, or it can mask an individual as a concealing veil or garment that creates a protected outer hull.

Learn more about Adam and see more of his work at his Website or visit his Facebook page.

“Scintillula”
Oil paint and pencil on paper
ca. a4
2012

“Double flute”
Oil paint and pencil on paper
ca. a4
2012

“O courageous”
Photography
2011

“Birds in a tree”
Acrylic painting on canvas
size 40 cm x 30 cm
2013

“Arch brown gold”
Acrylic painting on canvas, monotype
70 cm x 50 cm
2007

“Linguistically”
Photography
2010

“Carriage”
Acrylic painting
30 cm x 40 cm
2008

“Street refuge blue pink”
Acrylic painting on canvas, monotype
50 cm x 70 cm
2006

“Sphere 4”
Acrylic painting on canvas
55 cm x 46 cm
2007

“Aureous being”
Oil paint and pencil on paper
ca. a4
2011

“The open”
Photography
2012

“All about women”
Pencil and oil paint on paper
ca. a4
2012

“Oyseaux, arbres”
Oil paint and pencil on paper
2011

“How”
Photography
2013

“Silk apple-tree”
Acrylic painting on canvas
40 cm x 30 cm
2013

Swiss visual artist, Verena Baumann, was born in 1964 and has been working for thirty years with paint, pencil, scissors and a camera. After beginning her career as a graphic designer she expanded her interests and activities towards the freedom of a more personal art form. By living a less compromised life, she began to discover and explore a more instinctive use of line, shape, color, texture, and composition. Balancing the union of harmony and fragmentation is a primary motivation in her search for artistic truth. Today she explores spontaneousness and improvisation as a transforming fuel, nurturing her love for painting. The pursuit of ordinary magic became the most valued attribute for her creations. Find out more about Verena at http://about.me/verenabaumann.