Friday, January 19, 2024

CAT ART SHOW: Review



Cat Art Show: The 10th Anniversary  -  Review
@catartshowla
@thesugarslayer
@sharks_eat_meat


SharksEatMeat
had the privilege of attending “The Cat Art Show: The 10th Anniversary” which is ongoing for the weekend of January 19th through the 21st.  Located at the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Los Angeles this year’s exhibition showcases over 60 works of cat-themed art.  The Annenberg PetSpace Extraordinary Care Fund has partnered with The Cat Art Show, and a percentage of all sales goes towards helping rescue animals, and pets are available to adopt at a site above the art gallery.  The naturally lit and contemporary space was welcoming and displays allowed for easy movement and viewing of the works.  The vast interior allowed the many contrasting styles room to breathe.

Diverse techniques and mediums fill the beautiful space graciously praising our feline friends.  The show has exactly what you’d expect from a cat themed art exhibition, and more.  Extreme Cuteness? Feral Beasts?  Cheesy Jokes?  Ornate sculptures and meticulously painted oil portraits? All these and more.  Curated by Susan Michals and Esla Munroe, some highlights from the show include.




@annie_montgomerie_art

“Miss Pitch” by Annie Montgomerie is a delightful black cat doll-like sculpture, made from mixed-media and found objects.  The black cat, in an orange and blue outfit is adorable, and the craftsmanship is phenomenal.  The stitching and fine details bring the work to life.



@colinrobertsart

“Sphynx,” “Cheshire Cat,” and “Bubble Cat” by Colin Roberts are three radiant sculptures of cats constructed out of translucent stained glass like squares.  Their simple forms and bold colors pay tribute to 1960’s pop art.  These cats are leaps and bounds more inviting than Jeff Koons’ “Balloon Dogs.”




@martinwittfooth

“Kitten with Cinders” by Martin Wittfooth is a rich traditional oil on canvas painting of a majestic cat hunting birds under a golden sun. The texture, glowing colors, and allegorical themes depicted make this a powerful and stand out work from the show.




@iamadamcooley

“Cat with Butterflies” by Adam Cooley is a funky contemporary presentation of a lanky Pink Panther like cat and pink butterflies, on a golden Japanese style folding screen or “Byobu.”  The delicate patterns and fine line work shine in this painting.

 


@brandonvosika

“Black Cat” by Brandon Vosika is a pitch-black mysterious canvas with an inky black cat peeking through the shadows. The subtlety of values calls to mind Rothko’s work.

 

@melcher_eastman

 “Catnip Bebop Quartet” is by Melcher Oosterman, an illustrator in the Netherlands.  This stark illustrative work captures a quartet of jazz cats performing for a human crowd.  The striking colors and sharp line work give an expressive energy to the work.




“Sancho” by Clare Turley Newberry, is a vintage print from 1940.  Newberry was an accomplished children’s author and illustrator, and winner of several Caldecott Honors.  “Sancho” features a playful and gestural style that captures the attitude of cats perfectly.

 

@danielarthury

“Infinity Cat III” by Daniel Arthur is an unusual work with a strong composition and design.  The subject depicts a curious kitten gazing into a corner-wedged mirror, which creates a radial pattern.  The red green color scheme, and central focal point, draw the viewer in to enjoy the details in this playful piece.



 

@cocopetersonart

“Backyard” by Coco Peterson is one of my favorite works in the show.  The fluorescent and vibrant colors, as well as the smooth sharply designed forms are well balanced.  The color scheme shows an advanced understanding of complex hue relationships.  The muted yellows and teals, rich rose reds and dark greens embolden the backyard landscape.  The contrasting and well punctuated black cats that dot the scenery are filled with personality.  This joy of a painting is as competent and skillful as a Joan Miró or Anna Frischknecht work.





@tobiaskeeneart

“Agamemnon” by Tobias Keene is a cat portrait that is extravagantly fanciful.  A classically traditional oil painting of a White cat with a pearl necklace, the work recalls those of Renaissance and Baroque masters.  The frame is encrusted with gold-leaf and pearls signifying the lavishness of cat-life.  The painting is laboriously made, and the effort shows as the subject’s lush and realistic eyes follow you from the frame.

 

@sydswisher

“Pevely” by Sydney Swisher is a painting of a fluffy fur-ball proudly positioned atop a floral-patterned chair.  The work is painted directly on a floral-print fabric and allows much of the decor to show through in the final composition.  The throne-like chair the cat resides on portrays the same pattern, realistically rendered to match the background designs.  The muted red and green blossom print chosen is a vintage textile popular in the 1990’s.  The print, as well as cat art in general, are known for a kitsch tone.  “Pevely” boldly leans into this kitsch theme with great success.  

The ensemble collection at “Cat Art Show: The 10th Anniversary” is bursting with talent and creativity.  The light-hearted subject matter makes viewing art fun, and a nice escape from the hectic contemporary world.  If you’re in Los Angeles, I highly recommend visiting.  Follow the artist’s social media and stay tuned to SharksEatMeat for all your contemporary art and culture news.


Full List of Artists

Adam Cooley
Adam Stamp
Anna Sokolova
Annie Montgomerie
Bandon Vosika
Brek
Britt Ehringer
Cleon Peterson
Coco Peterson
Colin Roberts
Constance Tenvik
Cotoh
Daniel Arthur
Daniel Maidman
Diane Hoeptner
Edwin Ushiro
Heric Haze
Eri Wakiyama
Eva Beresin
Evan Lorenzen
Henry Diltz
Hi-Dutch
Jason Edward Davis
Jessica Louise
Joann Biondi
Laura Keenados
Leo Forest
Lola Dupre
Mai Nagamoto
Matt Grabelsky
Mark Oblow
Martin Wirrfooth
Melcher Oosterman
Michale Caines
Miss Scarlett
Natalia Fabia
Rachel Schlueter
Rabi
Renee French
Sage Schachter
Sydney Swisher
Tobias Keene
T9G
Venessa Stockard
William Llewelyn Griffiths
Yeah Yeah Chloe
Yusuke Hanai






DAY 4314 - Extinction Claims

 


Saturday, December 30, 2023

FESTIVAL ANGAELICA - FILM FEST REVIEW

Festival Angaelica - OVERVIEW

Festival Angaelica is an online film festival rounding out the year of 2023. There are hundreds of short and full length films to view for free available at

https://angaelica.vhx.tv

Some of my favorites from Festival Angaelica are Angel in Trouble, Animal Faces, Caco, Grandma’s Special Fabric, Diya, La Curandera Cumbiambera, Dusk, and FINE.

Select Reviews -




Angel in Trouble (3min)
Clara Denise West and Randika Liyanagama
https://kokoandfriends.com/
@kokoandfriendsproducts
kokoandfriends@aol.com

Sporty bugs learn about bullying in this cute and charming 2D cartoon with an important message. 

 

 

Animal Faces (4.5 min)
Fréd Médrano
@medranofrederic
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7F4d6ql4gs

A calm black and white drawn art animation of animals and tropical music. This short also features outstanding music by the animator. 



Caco (4min)
Alba Carerra

Lovely use of materials in addition to clay in this heist short about a mischievous raccoon and crow. The patterns and clever use of materials create a beautiful world.



Dimmed (8min)
Andrew Essig & JIF Reel Studios
https://www.whataguymedia.com/

In this dramatic spy film a couple gets caught up with law enforcement and international espionage. 




Carl Runs the Paper (25min)
Joey Horan & Manish Khanal
https://actualfilms.net/meet-team/
https://www.khanalproductions.com/

A newspaper documentary about a mountain town, small journalism, and enthusiasts who struggle to keep a dying medium alive.



The Gallerist (21min)
Adam Holoubek
@adamhfilms

Artful, mostly black and white romance and drama between an artist and gallerist. Set inside the artist’s studio and told through flashbacks as well.


Corsets (8min)
Rubén de Eguía
@rubendeeguia

This short film takes a behind the scenes look at theatre production during Covid. The drama exposes the insecurities people have and the metaphorical masks they wear.


Carinho Feito pelas Mãos - Caress Made by the Hands (5min)
Guilherme Petry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKnYwJ2nS6s
https://vimeo.com/751672910

This moving story of a marionette's strings breaking comes to life with smooth, animation with subtle gestures and well designed sets. The short presents contemplative themes about loss and age.





Take the Wheel (3min)
Electric Enemy
@electricenemy

Vivid colors and nice textures fill this heavy metal road trip animation that’s also a lyric video for the band Electric Enemy.



Autumn Moon (8min)
Myles Kovalik

Two young women anxiously recall memories together before moving apart.  The film skillfully uses Sepia and other monochromatic color schemes to create an eerie mood.



Gamepad (8min)
Azad Sadeghi
@azad._.sadeghi
@pashizstudio
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnvA5cYgHmA-rKDKdRHaXEQ

This animated short takes a cool and refreshing look at the Earth’s history over billions of years in a video game simulator. 






Outlook (5.5min)

Ashlesha Prabhu
@prabhuashlesha

This poetic short film follows a woman who takes a long hike up a stairwell, sometimes eavesdropping, and other times trapped with her own thoughts.



Grandma’s Special Fabric (7min)
Yu-Ting Wang
@palabubii

Heart warming, memorable, and delicately textured tale about a sweet grandmother and aging. The lovely visuals are paired with a delightful soundtrack and audio.





Diya (3.5min)
Aroona Khiani
https://aroonakhiani.portfoliobox.net/
@aroonescape

A colorful illustrative 2D animation about a youngster visiting a foreign land and the magic they find there. The cartoon is filled with excellent character design and lively settings.





Alleyway of Dreams (3.5min)
Robert David Duncan
X - @duncanrob

This animation if full of beautiful paintings that blend abstraction and landscapes similar to Kandinsky.

 


La Curandera Cumbiambera (22min)
Ivan Flores
@discosresacas
@loscoulters
@aibioweapon
@sharks_eat_meat
https://lacuranderacumbiambera.blogspot.com/

This 2D animation is a science fiction, action-adventure with animals in a space battle with a rockin’ world music soundtrack.




Dusk (1.5min)
Eli Kurland & Schantelle Alonzo
https://mishipiku.carrd.co/
https://mishipiku.weebly.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okK8FGMnVGw
@mishipiku

Two sisters train as knights in a medieval setting with great character design, expressive 2D animation, and clever use of colors to set the mood.





FINE (9min)
Maya Yadlin
@encore.films
www.encorefilmsprod.com

This is a standout short film where a family of four squabbles on a van trip through the desert to a holiday party. The story is perfectly contained within the 9 minute length. The mountainous setting is a gorgeous backdrop, and the acting is subtle and realistic. 






DAY 4306 - LaiSun & Monty Have a Snack