Camilla Engman knocks my socks off every time. I know I’ve said this before, but in my book Camilla is one of the most amazing colorists (Mark Ryden is another favorite). In her work it’s ALL about the colors.
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Perennial Crush: Camilla Engman
July 18th, 2011 · 1 Comment
XL Artist Crush: Camilla Engman
July 5th, 2010 · 2 Comments
When it comes to art I don’t believe in playing favorites, but I will say that Camilla Engman‘s work is really up there for me. What makes her work so special, you might ask? Well, here are a few key reasons I rounded up.
1. Color palette: Earthy, organic and modern, Camilla’s color palette is a signature element of her work.
2. Compositions: Sometimes more traditional, sometimes more experimental (like Shooting Stars, below), Camilla’s compositions rock. They are super simple but work so well. Clearly a ton of thought goes into these seemingly “simple” pieces.
3. Use of materials: Camilla has an uncanny way of using various materials in clever and unusual ways. Take Never, below, for example. The old-fashioned blue-lined paper cloud and spiky vertical-text hair are both genius.
4. Surrealism: Engman’s work inhabits a slightly-unsettling, dream-like space. There is often a vague, Freudian narrative in these scenes which make us wonder “just what is going on here?”
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In this way, Engman’s work reminds me of that of Italian surrealist Giorgio de Chirico (see The Soothsayer’s Recompense, below). Both Engman and de Chirico’s work have a sense of wide open space and an air of mystery and possibility. Both artists leave it to our own imaginations to fill in the missing pieces.
Picks of the Week: Splurges
March 13th, 2010 · 2 Comments
This week’s picks are a wish list of sorts. Every piece makes my heart skip a beat. Even though this group has some pretty hefty price tags, I fully believe every piece is worth it.
Picks from Junc Gallery, LeBasse Projects, ThinkSpace and Walker Contemporary.
New Stuff from Wall Graphic Innovator, BLIK
March 1st, 2010 · No Comments
Wall decals can be a fantastic substitute for hanging art or paint. For starters, they’re cheap and quick to install, and can be removed in a flash if you get sick of the design or end up moving. What’s also great about wall decals is how fun and colorful they are. They can make even a dead-white wall come to life.
It’d been a while since I had checked out BLIK, the Venice, CA design company that has led the pack in removable wall graphics and was blown away by all the awesome new merch. BLIK has partnered with art accessories shop, Third Drawer Down, and the ever-popular t-shirt company, Threadless. Their newly expanded offerings include work by many great artists and designers including Art Hound fav’s Saelee Oh, Camilla Engman and Amy Ruppel.
Below are some of my favorites from BLIK.
