The Artist Unmasked

This week's artist talk features Pop Artist Chad Berwald. Specializing in illustration and acrylic paints, Chad creates dramatic and colorful portraits of legendary and iconic entertainers from the TV shows and films of his childhood. Nostalgia is everything to Chad and his art is about keeping memories alive for the many generations to come. Chad shares his passion and talents as an art mentor at REVISION Project San Diego, where he is able to support, instruct and lead art classes for people with disabilities. Chad's life motto is Always Dream, Always Create, Make Things Happen!

This week's artist talk features Abstract Expressionist Artist Chris Fontaine. Chris creates bold, textured and colorful paintings exclusively with palette knives. His work is focused on exploring his psyche within the realm of specialized techniques and theories used by the masters, to create abstract art he calls controlled “messiness”. Blurring the lines of techniques and theories with a strong emotional release, his work is an extension of himself through multilayered colors and textures. Chris has an art background in video game design, stencil making, 3D art, and graffiti which allows him to play with many types of styles and techniques.

This week's artist talk features Abstract Expressionist Artist Chris Fontaine. Chris creates bold, textured and colorful paintings exclusively with palette knives. His work is focused on exploring his psyche within the realm of specialized techniques and theories used by the masters, to create abstract art he calls controlled “messiness”. Blurring the lines of techniques and theories with a strong emotional release, his work is an extension of himself through multilayered colors and textures. Chris has an art background in video game design, stencil making, 3D art, and graffiti which allows him to play with many types of styles and techniques.

This week's artist talk features Visual Artist Rebecca Potts Aguirre. Rebecca's work is inspired by the intersection between ecological concern and the female experience; often using unconventional materials that connect to childhood and “women's work.” She creates her art with polymer clay and play-doh to create 2-D pieces where the materiality connects to the concepts. By elevating “low-brow” child's materials into a referent for the work of mothers, she is making the often unseen acts and power of motherhood visible.

This week's artist talk features Fine Art Surrealist Painter Brady Willmott. Brady has built a successful career as a tattoo artist where he honed his artistic skills. He has retired his tattoo machines and inks for brushes and oils. Brady uses traditional oil painting techniques to create works of art featuring anamorphic animals in traditional settings. He blends his favorite styles of art with his life experience to create something unique.

This week's artist talk features Fine Art Photographer Janet Sternburg. Janet is an American writer of essays, poetry, memoir, and a fine arts photographer. She recently released her latest photography book I've Been Walking. Janet's work is about revealing an interpenetrating world. She works with disposable and iPhone cameras because their limitations give her what she wants, images that are close to the way our minds work. Her purpose with her art is to encourage herself and others a kind of perception that leads to deeper reflection of what matters personally and socially.

This week's artist talk features Producer Bill Lodin of BLA Productions. Bill is a classically trained artist and is dedicated to producing work that will resonate with future generations. He has made art a priority throughout his life in every career he has held. He has experience in commercial design, is a veteran of the US Navy, and the founder and owner of BLA Productions. BLA Productions is a San Diego based art production company which specializes in pinups, hotrods, & film noir. Bill shares his many talents and skills with the next generation of photographers, models, and production staff. Having fun and creating amazing art is the name of the game.

This week's artist talk features Boudoir Photographer Ashley Beschell. Ashley's boudoir photo shoots are so much more than lingerie and sultry poses; they are an opportunity for women to have a self-love experience to feel good and beautiful in their own skin. Ashley captures the Goddess in front of her lens with warm, welcoming, and flattering soft light photos. Her boudoir photo shoots are an opportunity to celebrate your sexy and confident self radiating within.

This week's artist talk features Graphic Design Artist Aaron Null. Aaron is the founder and owner of Vervor Design, Vervor Shop, and Street Stewards. Vervor Design is a graphic design company specializing in brand and layout design for all types of businesses. VERVOR Shop features over 100+ San Diego artists' work such as wall art, ceramics, jewelry, plants, and other curios. Street Stewards is an organization of a patchwork of people who work together to rid their neighborhood of litter by adopting a block. Street Stewards connects and enriches neighborhoods within a community with a sense of pride and respect.

This week's artist talk features Graphic Design Artist Aaron Null. Aaron is the founder and owner of Vervor Design, Vervor Shop, and Street Stewards. Vervor Design is a graphic design company specializing in brand and layout design for all types of businesses. VERVOR Shop features over 100+ San Diego artists' work such as wall art, ceramics, jewelry, plants, and other curios. Street Stewards is an organization of a patchwork of people who work together to rid their neighborhood of litter by adopting a block. Street Stewards connects and enriches neighborhoods within a community with a sense of pride and respect.

This week's artist talk features Sublime Ordinary Artist Susan Hall. Susan presents us with an illumination of the everyday as it exists within the natural world. She creates landscape paintings and ceramics inspired by Point Reyes. Inspired by technical and spiritual lessons she has learned over the decades, her art reveals the consciousness of West Marin in Northern California. Susan is known for capturing the local landscape through ethereal tones and colors.

This week's artist talk features Professional Creative Artist Scott “Sourdough” Power. Sourdough is a co-founder of Crewest Studio and NOT REAL ART. NOT REAL ART is a progressive alternative art community where Artists can learn how to be savvy and successful artrepreneurs. Artists can share their talents through NOT REAL ART's grant opportunities, podcasts, and art focused event experiences. Sourdough is dedicated to celebrating, championing and empowering Artists. He has over 30 years experience working in visual communication and the creative arts. He is a truth seeker and creative explorer driven by an ethos of curiosity, and animated by a carpe diem spirit.

This week's artist talk features Abstract Mixed Media Artist Tiffany Arp Daleo. Tiffany's bohemian abstract style of works are full of rich colors, lots of textured layers and infused with natural materials. Her work is created intuitively, which helps her to trust herself and the creative process. In addition to painting, Tiffany creates collages called “contraptions”, which are works made with materials found in nature such as pressed flowers, rocks, feathers, leaves, pine cones, to name a few of her favorite nature materials to work with.

This week's artist talk features Author D.L. Bielle. D.L. is the writer of the fantasy infused history book series Time Tinkers of Sept. Billy, Amos, Janna (Jan-na), and Lulu find themselves in an alternate universe and find themselves chosen by spiritual beings called The Luman. These four teens are tasked to save the world. To succeed on their mission, the chosen four must travel back to crucial times in their ancestral past and complete their quest of bringing balance and harmony to the Earth before the universal rift brewing destroys life as we know it.

Fashion Portrait Photographer Ramzi Mansour has a talent in uncovering, revealing, and illuminating the authentic and genuine beauty of his subjects through his lens. Ramzi captures each person's unique essence through black and white photography to create timeless and classic photographs that speak to the authenticity inside us all.

This week's artist talk features Multi-Faceted Artist Linda Litteral. Linda's art practice has helped her regain her sense of self, her power, and find the light and happiness she so deserves. As a child, Linda endured sexual abuse from a family member. Her work exposes the negative emotional impact it has had in her life as well as the journey of her healing process. Linda teaches healing art class and guides her students of all ages on how the creative process will help them heal from their past trauma. She is passionate about making the world a safer place for women and children.

This week's artist talk features Exploratory Artist Andrea Griffis. Andrea is a blossoming artist and is finding her life's path in the creative world. Art and music has had a positive impact in her personal and professional life. Andrea enjoys exploring the many different facets of creativity and has big goals she is on her way of achieving.

This week's artist talk features Cityscape Mixed Media Artist Michael Wallner. Michael's art is all about featuring the beauty of downtown city skylines. Many of his works are created from his own aerial photographs, taken while hanging out of helicopters. Michael digitally manipulates and colors his images to produce artwork printed on usual materials such as aluminum, copper, reclaimed wood, mirrors, magnets, vintage windows, and more. Capturing New York City's gridded avenues, Los Angeles's Hollywood Hills, and the Thames River winding through London are just some of the cities which have inspired Michael's work. He thrives on the quest of finding extraordinary views, strange angles and fantastic shapes to present the cityscape skylines he loves.

This week's artist talk features Mixed Media Upcycle Artist Optimus Volts. Optimus Volt's artwork is a fusion of pop culture and Dia de los Muertos. Using everyday objects such as recycled spray cans and back alley treasures, Optimus transforms bland objects into unique works of art that make a statement.

This week's artist talk features Watercolor Artist Desiree Cheuvront. Desiree has a passion for language and nature in which she integrates into her art. She loves to play with bold colors and artistic styles which range from realism to impressionism and illustration. The practice of creating art allows Desiree to explore her mind, get inspired and have fun. Seventeen of Desiree's watercolor paintings are featured in her solo show Unbounded Terrain at Mike Hess North Park.

This week's artist talk features Mindfulness Coach and founder of Doturminds artist Vani Shiroor. Vani helps people gain clarity, confidence and purpose through dot sand art. Doturminds is a mindful dot art which is a combination of the benefits of mindfulness, art and meditation. Mindful dot art is a pragmatic approach to exercise the mind to find new and creative solutions in our daily lives. The most important factor of this art is the concept of being in the here and now (being mindful) and activating the right side of the brain and teaching a new way of thinking.

This week's artist talk features Art and Creativity Advocate MDFerrera. MD is a full time visual artist, writer, mental health advocate, and more. The creative process is a therapeutic outlet for her and has helped her during positive, negative, and neutral life experiences. Music is a big part of MD's process as she interprets and experiences her emotions, mental health and the life around her. As an artist and advocate, her mission is to bring the joy of art and the creative process to all.

This week's artist talk features Photographer Jon Lardizabal. Jon's background in kinesiology helps to shape his purposeful composition of his photography. His work has been described as technically sound and reminiscent of imagery from Magnum photographers in the 1970's/1980's. Jon's current efforts are focused on refining his projects to take the next steps towards creating photography books.

This week's artist talk features Community Artist BJ Lane. BJ has over 50 years of art experience. She is a painter, sculptor, writer, and digital artist and uses traditional, nontraditional, and digital mediums. BJ's art shares her discoveries of the everyday beauty in her surroundings, the people around her and her daily life. She is a special needs advocate and supports many nonprofits in her community. Her creative outlets allow her to share and incorporate her experiences and perspective with others.

Spiritual Abstract Artist David Lesinski is inspired by the deeper levels and layers of the human being; the emotions, sensations and feelings beneath. He has spent many years diving into the depths of his own being to draw personal and deep experiences to create paintings for the soul. Paintings for the Soul are multilayered abstract paintings energized with intentions of healing and growth. Just as you're multi-layered, so are these paintings. David pairs his works with its own unique poem. His work explores self-expression, self-love, abundance and connection with something greater than ourselves.

This week's artist talk features Marquetry Artist Mac Hillenbrand. Mac is a multifaceted artist who is honing and mastering his skills of the renaissance art form of marquetry. Combining his love of the ocean, the surf and marquetry, his wood veneering techniques explore the organic parallels between wood grain characteristics and oceanic textures. Mac creates unique and distinct surf art all with repurposed wood. He opened his first gallery Amber Waves of Grain in Del Mar, CA, is the founder of the infamous underground art space warehouse rock club and speakeasy The French Fry Factory, and is DJ Old Spice in his spare time spinning vinyl soul and oldies records at dive bars.

This week's featured artist onThe Artist Unmasked Podcast features Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur J. Han. J. Han is the CEO of ClosetSignature.com, author, sound meditation guide, financial literacy teacher and a featured Speaker at The Women who BossUp Summit 2021. J. Han gets her courage, resiliency, and entrepreneurial spirit from her mom and grandma who courageously immigrated to America from South Korea. Her journey of self-discovery has helped her to find her power, her voice, and most importantly, love for herself.

This episode of The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Sculptor Greg Schaefer. As a child, Greg, spent his time reading encyclopedias, collecting rocks, and studying relief maps. He was particularly excited by the electron microscope images his father, a photographer at the National Institutes of Health, would bring home. These influences on his early childhood have become an important source of inspiration for his artwork. Microscopic, mythological beings and places fascinated him as he explored worlds that delved into fantastical, dystopian, and never-before-seen imagery. These extraordinary settings still fire his imagination today.

This episode of The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Kimball Willson founder of Corporate to Canvas. Corporate to Canvas is a team building company which brings art, creativity, and collaboration to corporate America. Kimball creates unique painting experiences that are tailored to the unique goals, values, and culture of each company or group. Through customized guided painting activities, teams connect in a fun environment that results in heightened creativity, connectedness and collaboration.

On this episode of The Artist Unmasked Podcast I speak with Bodhi Designs Custom Furniture Designer Granger. Granger is a custom furniture designer by day and digital photographer by night. As a furniture designer and digital photographer, Granger enjoys being able to take an idea that is formless in nature and turning it into a tangible experience. His work plays with the relationship between the object and the abstract, the architecture and the environment, and the observer and the observed. His work is heavily influenced by how quantum mechanics relates to consciousness and memory. Creative play is an important aspect in all of Granger's work. By taking time to experience his surroundings of nature and urban civilization, Granger gives life to formless ideas and theories of life.

On this episode of The Artist Unmasked Podcast I speak with Creative Lawyer Sam Mazzeo. Sam is the founder of Better - a team of lawyers and staff dedicated to being better than we were yesterday. Sam and his team help people create entities for their business by leveraging technology to keep costs low for our clients. Better focuses on educating and empowering their clients to make important decisions to keep entrepreneurs growing and creating successful businesses. So without further ado, I bring to you The Artist Unmasked.

Steve Harlow latest works view now at Fresh Paint Gallery in San Diego, CA showcases Harlow's lifetime love of film and paintings themselves. He has habitually attended Art Museums to study contemporary and historical paintings that intrigue and mesmerize him. His current show at Fresh Paint Gallery look at streaming media subjects through the lens of the culture of painting and they use the language of other admired contemporary painters such as Mark Bradford, Jenny Saville, Kerry James Marshall. Steve is abstractifying the subjects, reimagining the dynamism of Abstract Expressionism.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Surrealaissance Painter Adam Hesse. Adam Hesse creates surrealist paintings with renaissance principles and techniques. He blends science and creativity together and explores the synergies between art and science. His work expresses the dichotomy that is a part of our culture, our nature, and society to pursue the singularity between the rational and the irrational; as an aid in peeking behind the veil.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Comic Book Artist and Illustrator Vince Alvendia. Vince's style is influenced by Disney animation, manga and anime. His first graphic novel, Dark Agents Book One: Violet and the Trial of Trauma, written by Dr. Janina Scarlet is available at bookstores and Amazon and is currently working on his own creator-owned project.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Mixed Media Artist Teuta Pashnjari. Teuta is an artist who mainly focuses on the human form and its surroundings. As she has grown throughout her practice, she has been interested in drawing animals and experimenting with different mixed media techniques. Teuta is mainly a painter but she enjoys using photography and video mediums as an expression of her creativity as well.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Graphic Artists and Writers of Horrorgasm's Tales of Horrorgasm Anthology. The first part of this episode features some of the writers and graphic artists of the Tales of Horrogasm anthology and the second part of this podcast features a discussion panel featuring horror story writers featured at this year's Horrorgasm 2020 Virtual Convention. Get ready to get spooked and get scared at Horrorgasm 2020 Virtual Con. Back for its third year, Horrorgasm has come back to life this past October 2nd and continues to scare and delight through the end of December 2020. Register today for free and playful horrorgasmic art at Horrorgasm 2020. Join in the scary good time now at Horrorgasm2020.com.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Concept Artist and Illustrator Squiddy Sprinkle. Squiddy creates digital illustrations of magical and aquatic characters in highly fantastical scenarios. Squiddy Sprinkle's work explores the NSFW style, LGBTQA+ themes and creates mental health comics for the Critical Therapy Center in NYC. His art has a bright and bouncy aesthetic with lots of iridescent and neon colors such as the colorful world of Neon Nova Squiddy features on Instagram.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Emerging Artist Aly Vredenburgh. Aly is an artist whose current work is a way for her to work through her depression and bring joy to others with art. Creating charcoal realism portraits and abstract paintings, the creative process inspires Aly to find different ways to help others fight depression and loneliness. Aly plays the violin, paints, draws, and is currently illustrating and writing a children's book.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Psychic Artist Amber Kouba. For Amber, being a psychic is synonymous with being a creative spirit. Her abstract paintings are an exploration of the combination of energies which surrounds us everyday using oil paints, canvas, and lots of color. Her work is an embodiment of emotional expression and authenticity of what words cannot convey. Painting allows Amber to use her psychic skills of energy healing for herself and others, have fun, and share her journey of exploring life through her psychic abilities.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Community Muralist Bernie Wilke. Bernie work centers around large-scale community murals, teaching, and studio artwork. He is driven by his desire to help strengthen communities through murals. Bernie intimately collaborates with the people of the community so he can share their unique story. With over 80 public murals in schools, downtown streets, community centers, and many other settings completed, he utilizes the power of art to strengthen communities and cultivate personal and societal wellness through beauty and collaboration.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Graphic Designer & Illustrator Gloria Bonifazi. Gloria has studied interior design, graphic design, digital art and illustrations. Playing with lighting and mood, Gloria combines her talent for drawing and illustration with photo editing to create works of art on a professional and personal level. Not only does she enjoy digital mediums, Gloria works with leatherwork, pyrography, metalwork, jewelry, macrame, and making fresh pasta.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Fine Art Photographer Sofie Pihl. Sofie is a Danish-Italian visual artist, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sofie explores the concept of reality and the constant fluctuation between what is and what is not reality through her photographic art. She seeks to experiment with the boundaries of conventional photographic techniques by combining camera and computer mediums. Sofie aims to create photographs that transcends space and time creating a living scene that you can enter, leave, and come back again.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Fine Jewelry Artist Rocky Pardo. Rocky uses her skills in metalsmithing to create beautiful pieces of jewelry to accentuate our own individuality. Her pieces are full of dichotomy; representing the feminine/masculine, the rocker/refined, and the rough/smooth side of ourselves. Using a variety of metalsmithing techniques to create her art, Rocky creates one of a kind jewelry.

Kiya Nicole is a Philadelphia based artist. Her work reflects interconnected forms found in nature and is translated intuitively. By drawing attention to the intricacies of the natural world, she hopes to highlight the connections between people and place, the effect we have on one another and to the earth.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Portrait Artist Faith Rae. Art has instilled confidence in Faith's life and a way for her to inspire others. Faith's creative practice inspires her to give the gift of art by encouraging others to explore their own creativity. Faith is in her beginning stages of her creative career and she is pursuing her goal of inspiring and instilling confidence in young people through their creativity.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Urban Artist Alyssa King. Alyssa creates textured, inspirational, and graffiti inspired pieces. Alyssa has always been inspired by graffiti, street art and the positivity accessible art can evoke in a community. She creates art to inspire and motivate all who will take moment to gaze and listen to her work. Inspirited by the city streets and the textures they hold, She predominantly works with spray paint and recycled / reclaimed materials to create her textured paintings. Alyssa's art can be experienced in many forms such as digital art, murals and mixed-media paintings.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Contemporary Craft Artist Steffi Dotson. Steffi is a woodworker and founder of San Diego Craft Collective. San Diego Craft Collective is a nonprofit organization who offers craft art workshops such as woodworking and making your own glass jewelry.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Ceramics Artist Blaire Trenaman. Blaire focuses her work in ceramics and also creates in mediums which include photography, painting, and drawing. Art was not always her first choice as a career but after taking elective classes in school, began her love of the arts. Her practice focuses in concepts of queer theory, feminism, and her new works are focusing on concepts of mental health.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Visual Artist Ruza Petrovic. Ruza uses her creative talents through many mediums such as photography, painting, digital painting, illustration, graphic design, and collage. Art has and will always be a part of her life and embracing her creative side helps her through the challenging parts of life. Ruza is on her journey to discover how to make her mark in the art world and share the power of art with others.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Festival Fashion Designer Anderson Pierce of Night Gear Co. Anderson became inspired to start being creative with clothing and accessories through the rave and music festival scene. Exploring his creative side, Anderson started making jewelry, costume pieces, and then focusing on masks and helmets. For Anderson, the shiner the better and his pieces will make anyone stand out in the crowd and make you feel sexy, confident, and comfortable while getting down on the dance floor.

This week on The Artist Unmasked Podcast features Interdisciplinary artist Meraki by Hamer. Meraki by Hamer is an Orlando based surreal impressionist who explores ideas from her life experiences, emotions, human connections and her soul. She expresses these experiences these thoughts and feelings through traditional mediums and new digital media. Meraki by Hamer is motivated to create visual artworks that portray multi-faceted ideas that create a connection with her audience. Her art acts as illustrations for something we can all feel inside and empathize with. Art is everywhere around us and is a part of everything we do and interact with on a daily basis and through her work, she encourages everyone to tap into their creative side. So without further ado, I bring to you The Artist Unmasked.