Shannon Brady was recently accepted into the MFA graduate program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, keeping his studies close to home (and his new wife!). He was thrilled to share that he has also received an MFA Trustee Scholarship for $14,000, to be applied to his first year at the College.
Shannon’s energetic and highly conceptual work will be hard to improve upon, but we applaud his new endeavors, and wish him the best of luck!
Recently, Belgian artist Philippe de Kemmeter was selected to be added to Illoz’s talented roster of Illustrators. The top-notch talents featured are by invite only, and Philippe is thrilled that his quirky and distinctive images are to be in such excellent company.
Be sure to take a look at Philippe’s new portfolios here!
Steven Tabbutt’s fine art career has been taking off across the pond. Steven Exhibits artwork at the Yukiko Kawse Gallery in Paris, which will be previewing some of his most recent works at the exciting Slick Dessin Art Fair from March 28-30 at the Atelier Richelieu.
Slick Dessin is a perfect venue for Steven, as it celebrates the discovery of new and emerging talents.
Felicitations, Steven!
Italian illustrators Beppe Giacobbe, Valeria Petrone, and Guido Scarabottolo were recently invited to create original artworks for Marchesino, the restaurant of the famed La Scala Opera Company in Milan. Ironically placed in the bathroom, the artists coyly referred to their elegant creations as ‘toilet art’.
The artistes: Beppe, Valeria, and Guido:
Don Giovanni by Beppe Giacobbe:
Barbiere di Siviglia by Valeria Petrone:
La Boheme by Guido Scarabottolo:
As a special thank you, renowned chef Gualtiero Marchesi invited the artists to participate in a unique sensory experience at his other restaurant, L’Albereta. A stunning melange of art and flavor was created just for the group, including this beautiful Pollock-inspired starter.
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Steven Tabbutt was recently invited by Charles Hively and the group at 3×3 to have lunch at their Brooklyn studio. Surrounded by a variety of cool illustrations (including an original Tabbutt), they discussed Steven’s background and the secrets to his success.
Morgan Gaynin first discovered Steven’s work in the 3×3 annual, so it was especially nice to hear that Charles and co. still have such an interest in Steven – both as an artist and a person. Charles Hively did a lovely write up on their meeting, which you can read here.
Valeria Petrone recently donated a charming moose print to “Art for Cats,” a feline rescue operation located here in New York City. When founder Kathleen Goward was forced to shutter Pomegranate Looms, her exotic rug store and covert cat rescue operation, all the critters were relocated to her home. Recognizing the need to separate the healthy from the sick, the auction has been established to fund the building of a wall – with excess monies being distributed to other cat rescue agencies in the area.
The premiere auction will consist of 50 pieces by top illustrators and friends to the fur. Paris, MGI’s resident chaton, asks you to check it out.
She also thanks Valeria wholeheartedly.
Andrea U’Ren is packing her bags and getting ready to head to the Lone Star State! The award-winning illustrator recently picked up the prestigious Texas Bluebonnet Award for her work on One Potato, Two Potato, to be honored this spring in Houston.
Since 1979, the Texas Bluebonnet Award has been encouraging children to explore a variety of contemporary works while developing their powers of discrimination and an ability to identify favorites. Take a look at their website at http://txla.org/groups/tba/index.html to see when you can meet the artist and have a copy signed for your favorite little Southern fan!
Painter Peter Cusack started up the New Year by sharing his joy and talent for illustration with students both young and old. The undergraduate kiddies at St John’s are lucky to have him teaching a variety of topics, including anatomy, painting, drawing, illustration, and art history. Those further down the road pursuing graduate work at FIT are able to fine tune their skills in “Traditional Media,” a course that covers traditional and foundational skills in oil painting. And for adults who wish to return to their artistic passion, Peter has been offering private classes where he not only refreshes their ability to draw and paint, but also coaches them to understand and express their creativity.
Looks like MGI artists are becoming international transit artists. We have created so many posters and art cards for the MTA here in NYC and now Valeria Petrone has illustrated this whimsical piece for Florence, Italy’s public transport system (ATAF) to promote a healthier environment. The illustration will be used as posters and on bus tickets.
It’s never too early to learn to be financially savvy, and anyone can get a great head start by reading It’s a Money Thing: A Girl’s Guide to Managing Money, written by the Women’s Foundation of California. This handy book, featuring the sassy illustrations of Susan Estelle Kwas, has gotten some terrific press, and now adds another accolade: Congratulations, Susan, on the 2008 Honors from the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) which acknowledges top educational books and products for kids and parents.
