RENDERED Art Medley 1
Bonus content: Art explosion incoming!
Welcome to the RENDERED Art Medley!
This is the first of my visual newsletters, featuring (mostly) food art with little to no context. I do a lot of art outside of RENDERED, but still in the universe of food + drink. So why not share it? I’ve got sketchbook pages, fun doodles, finished illustrations, and full-on paintings to share with you. I’m planning on sending out these Art Medleys about 4 times a year. Enjoy the art!
Sketchbook
My sketchbook is the first line of creativity: I explore ideas and test out various media, and I can draw “just because.” It’s fun, and a necessary tool to keep improving my skills.
Artwork
“Rad Ikkyou” (Mixed media, 25 cm x 36 cm, 2024) A play on words. I took a reference photo of this glorious radicchio I got at the market, and wanted to put it front and center. “Ikkyou” (一興) is a Japanese word for “fun/entertainment.” “Rad Ikkyou” is meant to sound like “radicchio.” I enjoy playing with “in-group” and “out-group” dynamics in my art: inside jokes, puns, Easter eggs, and the like.
“Bananiers” (Mixed media, 18 cm x 26 cm, 2024) I took this photo at a botanical garden here in France. I was struck by the difference in my relationship with banana trees, and that of my ancestors (decor versus sustenance). I took visual inspiration from the vaporwave aesthetic, not only because it looks cool, but also because vaporwave is associated with nostalgia for a time/place you’ve never known. It also defies logic; the longer you look at it, the less the image makes sense: where are those leaves coming from? Unsure. This painting is a reflection of the confusing, mixed feelings of being part of the Puerto Rican diaspora.
“Question” (Mixed media, 36 cm x 48 cm, 2024) The newest addition to my monochromatic self-portrait series. I was inspired by those 1950’s-era portraits of well-coiffed Puerto Rican men, who always seemed to command such respect. This piece is a meditation on heteronormativity, gender roles and stereotypes.
News from the Studio:
As I mentioned to paid subscribers in my previous TIDBITS, my writing schedule this year was pushed back because of applications I completed in French (artist fellowship, art markets). January and March were spent preparing large dossiers, and doing all that in “not my native language” took a lot out of me. I have been attempting to branch out more into my local French art scene, so let’s see what 2024 holds in store for me.
I completed a bucket list commission! I’ll reveal the final product once it’s ready, but I can share that it’s part of the packaging for a consumable product. :)
I am available for commission and freelance illustration work, and my web shop has select items for sale. Commission inquiries are accepted via my website!
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll be back soon with the next TIDBITS narrated essay for paid subscribers, followed by the next RENDERED for all subscribers.