'The Undermining Satanic Energies Of An Incongruent Suburban Sickness', and so on... (for Shakefist Magazine)

See the original article HERE.

With a title like 'The Undermining Satanic Energies Of An Incongruent Suburban Sickness' it was fairly clear this exhibition was going to be an interesting one. Californian artist Skinner is now in residence at Brooklyn's Cotton Candy Machine and his is an awesome presence. His use of vibrant and vivid colors take you on a spaced-out trip through the abstract, cartoon and pop-art sectors of the art world and Skinner is the perfect tour guide.

Originally a teacher Skinner left the classroom to concentrate on his artistic endeavors and the result has been an eclectic mix of prints, murals and custom made toys, all of which were on display in Brooklyn on Friday. Upon entering Cotton Candy Machine you were handed your very own pair of 3D glasses with which to view his incredible 3D alien mural painted on the stores right wall. The mural created the perfect backdrop for his paintings, mainly consisting of neon-colored teeth-nashing hideously deformed creatures, freakishly beautiful in all their colorful glory.

Particularly eye catching were his hand-crafted monster masks - a collection of evil-eyed, sharp-teethed and pointy-horned characters that looked oh so menacing and would be perfect for scaring off trick or treater's on any Halloween. His latest book 'Every Man Is My Enemy' was also flying out the door, this being the first East Coast signing event for the release. He has an amazing and truly inventive take on pop-art very well presented in his books, including previous title 'The Butcher Kings'. Characters such as Scumby, Biggiefoot, The Funisher and Wu-Tang Clown leap off the pages and into your worst nightmares while definitely stopping by to tickle your funny bone.

Skinner takes images of deformed and scary creatures and makes them beautiful with his penchant for bright colors, his awesome imagination and ever present attention to detail. If bringing kitsch science-fiction based pop-art to the masses is his game then he is definitely winning. His character creations are fun, full of life and even a little bit creepy. So venture forth to Brooklyn if you dare - just don't walk home alone afterwards...

Greenpoint Gallery Review (for Shakefist Magazine)

See original article HERE.

Through an unassuming metal door on a back alley beneath an overpass lies a wondrous world. A world where you can drink. A world where you can smoke. A world where you can get your creative fix be it visual or aural. This is the world of the Greenpoint Gallery.

An art space and venue for hire the Greenpoint Gallery was set up in 2005 by Shawn James to 'facilitate creativity in all disciplines by providing the perfect solution for NYC artists seeking an affordable and flexible performance/exhibition space in which to fulfill their visions'. And that's exactly what it did this Friday night as it hosted Shawn & Ted's Excellent Art Adventure - a 5 hour fun-fest of music, art and all the good stuff in between. There were paintings, there were sculptures, there were bands, there were dogs, there were birds - everything was possible.

The 2 story space is a wonder to behold as far as exhibition spaces go, the lower floor consisting of a small stage shrouded in greenery (and said bird, somewhere…) with an Aztec-themed lounge area and works on display by none other than curator himself Shawn James. His style is macabre yet kaleidescopic, combining the strong human form with equally strong slashes of color and light. He captures the pain and intensity of man well, without presenting it as such.

Moving upstairs we were treated to a simple but fulfilling bar area (complete with aforementioned dog) and another small stage, this time almost too well lit due to the artworks on display. Ted Stanke was the main feature, taking over the space with his life-size metallic sculptures and ode's to popular culture. Most impressive were the 1 Billion Cent Piece - a large mock sculpture of a penny made of pennies, Long Live Steve Jobs - a collusion of metal pieces and coins brought together to form a human heart, all placed within the confines of an old Apple Mac screen, and my favorite, The American Dream - a small sculpture of a toilet made of Matchbox cars. His works were daring yet tongue-in-cheek, and extremely well crafted considering the innovative materials he had chosen.

All this was set amongst a backdrop of about 10 local musical acts who suited the event well. The stand out was Colorform, a simple act featuring a female singer with band including an excellent cellist, who sang catchy songs whilst a friend of their's created a piece from scratch in front of the stage using pastels. A creative and inventive idea that suited the event to a tee.

Greenpoint Gallery put on a great night that not only highlighted the artistic side of the gallery but the musical side as well, perfectly capturing their diversity as a venue. A great space featuring great works that are well worth a look in.

Buff Monster & Jeremyville at The Cotton Candy Machine, Williamsburg (for shakefistmagazine.webs.com/)

See the original article here: http://shakefistmagazine.blogspot.com/2011/08/shakefist-writer-visits-cotton-candy.html

Brooklyn's Cotton Candy Machine is a fairly new addition to the scene, having been open only since April 2011. Specializing in art prints, posters, books, toys and various interesting trinkets it has held an eclectic mix of exhibitions in it's short life span, including an intimate evening with US band The Melvins. On Friday 5th August the heavy humid Summer air was laced with the sweet smell of success - and sugar! - as Jeremyville and Buffmonster held an outstanding viewing at the art house entitled 'Sprout Up'. It was a night of free beers and cotton candy, bright colours and even brighter sentiments.

Buff Monster cites heavy metal music, ice cream and Japanese culture as his main influences and this is ever-present in his work. Awash with pink hues - which he describes as the colour of 'confidence, individuality and happiness' - and abstract Manga-style characters his work is definitely a product of his influences. Crazy animated characters, blow up ice cream cones, glossy-eyed stuffed animals and Tim Burton-esque skulls and pumpkin lanterns lay scattered throughout Cotton Candy Machines shelves and cabinets. His work is abstract and fun, even if a little confusing at times. My friend and I were particularly taken with a set of one-eyed characters which looked like a cross between a salt and pepper shaker and a massage implement - noting that neither of the aforementioned products would cost a whopping $350, which was the price tag on each of these little gems. Creative and fun Buff Monster likes to think outside the box, and I must say I do like his train of thought.

However being the optimistic, happy-go-lucky person that I am Jeremyville certainly stole the show for me. Matching basic and positive phrases with basic and positive shapes and colours Jeremyville takes you to a world where everything is possible and nothing can stop you. His messages of good will and inspiration seize the imagination and the accompanying animations are endearing to the heart and the eye. Phrases such as 'Imagine your future then make it real', 'Find a way out', 'Let's dream of each other' and 'The late worm evades the early bird' could come across as corny and cliche if not for his fun, colorful and finely sketched characters. His work also included a screen print poster series of New York neighborhoods such as the East Village, Devils Kitchen and Union Square - all of which captured the true essence and character of each neighborhood using minimal and basic colours - and a series of skate board decks which made me want to take to the streets on 4 small wheels myself. With numerous group exhibitions under his belt and the release of 2 styles of Jeremyville Chuck Taylor high top's by Converse it's clear that Jeremyville's artistic style is admired by the masses. The occurring themes and pop-art like images are simple in their delivery, and one can only hope Jeremyville's messages of life and love can inspire people through their viewings.

Thanks to the lively and inspirational works on show the scene at Cotton Candy was one of fun and frivolity on the night, and I highly recommend heading into Williamsburg to take in some of these fine pieces. The 'Sprout Up' exhibition featuring Buff Monster and Jeremyville is showing at the Cotton Candy Machine August 5th through September 4th.