matthew palladino.

last week when i was rooting around on the interwebs, i was reading michael hsiung's blog.  michael had posted a really beautiful, intense painting, it was at once gorgeous and totally effed up. i loved it. there wasn't much info other than a link back to the artist's flickr page. i quickly clicked on it getting lost w/in the art work. it was the flickr page of san francisco artist matthew palladino. besides the intensity and vibrancy of matthew's work, what i noticed first off was how quickly his work moved me.

last month, when i interviewed elbow-toe one of the things we talked about was how an artist's work can really hit you, move your soul as it were. since that conversation, i have been thinking a lot about that sentiment. really paying attention to visceral emotions that accompany my mindset when i view art. matthew's work does that to me instantly. his paintings get under my skin and really pull out emotions. his sharp colors and folkey-esque painting style is hard to tear my eyes away from. as a girl who grew up in the inner city w/ a family who championed craft, matthew combines a sensibility in his work that really speaks to me. plus, the painting of the geometric bandanas below entitled "chris johanson as a conflicted gang member" is just plain genius. no doubt about it.

Comments

[John Shipman]

great post! this cat's work is amazing! i just hopped over to his flickr page and was enthralled.

[Figure 1]

This is slamming! So inspiring. Thank you...

[melroska]

i saw matthew's work at park life in san francisco last month. it's so amazing, thanks for reminding me and for the flickr link.

[adam]

wow, really great work here. some of it reminds me of Philip Guston's work. especially about being beautiful and strange at the same time.

[kate]

wow wow wow!

[Emily Abigail]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Art that makes you feel something is always so invigorating. I love it. Thank you so much for introducing me to him.

Also, I looked up the work of Molly M once you mentioned that my necklace looked like one of her designs & I agree! The people at the store that I bought the necklace actually never told me who made it but they did mention that the wood was laser cut. I am wondering if it is one of her designs...

Anyway, sorry for the long comment! And, thanks for your comment on my blog! :)

[carol es]

yes, yes, I agree with melroska. it is strangely interesting, yet highly aesthetic, and it's like a Wonder Twin Ring activating when the 2 work together.

[adam c.]

wow.

[mildred]

sick ass work!

[cake.]

that bandanna is so beautiful.