“My interest in art started when I was around 7 years old. Learning alone at home, I began sketching models from fashion magazines, emphasizing the details of their clothes and the emotion held in their eyes. I wanted to become proficient in sketching a variety of different expressions whilst enhancing the feeling I believe these images were trying to communicate. Later, I expanded my work to include animals, romance and architecture. Today I sketch a wide variety of pieces, from the fantastic and colourful to the deep and minimalistic.”

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Meet Featured Artist Andrew Stewart.

Rich colors, contrasts and an surreal quality express a figurative style that is realistic and unique. Splashes of color and paint accent his artwork with a raw and expressive touch. He works in acrylic, inks and with an Airbrush.

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Artist Alon Avissar has been a long time fan of many famous musicians and celebrities. And as an accomplished artist he enjoys creating portraits of his favorite entertainers.

Last year when he heard the Nature Boy Ric Flair was making an appearance in the Washington DC area, and being a lifelong fan, he really wanted to meet Flair. Shortly after purchasing a ticket to the event, it dawned on him that he could use this opportunity to not only try to introduce himself to Ric, but to present a custom piece of artwork honoring him.

On the day of the event he met Ric and presented him with the watercolor-style portrait he created in Photoshop. He was very grateful to receive the framed piece and was happy to pose for a photo too.

After that encounter, Alon had an epiphany of sorts: how many of his heroes could he meet through this art?

He began researching upcoming events in the DC area, honing in on acts, figures, and artists that he was inspired by. He conducted research to find their respective contact info. Once connected, he would arrange to meet at their local event where he would present a framed copy of the portrait as a gift to the artist. In return, he would simply request a photo and a signature on a separate print for his own safe keeping.

To his surprise he was able to get responses from many of the talents he reached out to. Before he knew it, he was regularly going to events and presenting these passion pieces to many of the same people he grew up admiring! See and find out more

About Alon Avissar

Alon Avissar is a Washington DC based art director and designer with an obsession for art, history, music trivia and mythology. In addition to collaborating with clients full-time, he continues to develop other personal projects in his spare time. These include various illustration, double exposure and portrait works of art.

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Here you go, take a look and see.

1. Marco Grassi
Reminiscent of classical art with Rembrandt chiaroscuro, we love the expressive portrait work of Marco. Luminous skin that has a mysterious presence is expressed through exquisite brush strokes. Discover more here

2. David Kassan
We’ve been following the work of David on Instagram and his series documenting holocaust survivors and the Resilience Exhibition – Paintings of survival.

His sensitivity and insight while capturing the lasting effects of trauma, is expressed through painting mastery. His work tells a story of legacy, empowerment and vulnerability. One can’t help but be drawn into the stories of the survivors. He captures a connection, a moment in time from each of his models that will never be forgotten.
Discover more here

3. Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen
Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen is a Norwegian oil painter. His work is categorized as classic figurative painting; expressive and transcending.  Henrik explores the dark sides of life, nihilism, existentialism, longing and loneliness, juxtaposed with fragile beauty. Surreal, emotional and present, his work captures essence, private moments and the space between a breath.
Discover more here

4. Cuong Nguyen
Classical perfection is defined in the work of Cuong. His pastels are luminous and expressive. We discovered his work on Instagram and are intrigued by his realistic style and under painting techniques that he uses to achieve realistic portraits.

Cuong Nguyen’s paintings reveal a fundamentally optimistic view of the world and a sense of wonder towards the beauty that surrounds us.
Discover more here

5. Alyssa Monks
Alyssa Monks work is intriguing, emotional and deep. Capturing private moments with a feel of desperation (or perhaps empowerment), her work blurs the line between abstraction and realism. She masters layering space and time in her paintings.
Discover more here

6. David Gray
A Classical artist with contemporary vibes, his painting evoke a sense of mystery and contemplative.  A timeless essence is expressed that explores the divide between the natural and divine.
Explore more here

7. Kelvin Okafor
With each stroke of the graphite, Okafor masters his portraits in large format Hyper-realism techniques. His work transcends realism and captures an essence of awareness, oneness and connection.
Explore more here

8. Louise Camille Fenne
Reminiscent of classical art with subtle curiosity, her portraits are expressive and unique. With a remembrance feel, she implores whimsical touches that draw the viewer in.
Explore more here

The post Portrait Inspiration – We can’t stop looking at these artists! appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

We are all part of the family of man Seeing our own humanity in the face of other beings encourages understanding and acceptance of others’ values ​​and priorities.

The post Meet Featured Artist Luz Celeste Figueroa- The Face of Humanity appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.