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Mark Holland-Hicken
April 3rd, 2009The United States has a very awkward approach to the nude human form. The UK on the other hand has embraced it as an object of beauty and displays it with a less discretion than the United States. Nude art is almost automatically thought of as pornography to the uneducated mind. Mark has found a medium to display some of the most beautiful figures to walk this Earth. His women are some of the most seductive and entrancing you will ever lay your eyes on.
Mark’s approach to the art world was an approach of “mistaken identity.” His younger years were spent coloring like most of us do when we are young lads, but then when it came time for school, his parents had other plans for him. He went to college and was on the engineering track and called it quits after one year realizing it just wasn’t for him. Saddened by the failure to himself he found his guiding light. A Car Design degree exhibition that would ultimately bring him to this very moment today. Mark battled for his spot in the program and 5 years after finding that flyer would graduate as a product designer. The next 15 years was spent mastering all the mediums this planet had to offer. Pencils, pens, marker pens, screening inks, acrylics, water colors, airbrush, and all things digital became his sword and shield, conquering any project thrown at him.
Mark’s life took a drastic turn when his daughter was born prematurely and he desired more than photographs to document this event. He painted a few images of her and showed them off to critics and from there the ball was rolling.
His work is done from photographs that is taken from a very close colleague and friend, Gabrielle Rigon.
“His work is so sensitive towards women that he has become the world’s premier for all genders. I
inspire him and he inspires me.”
It is very rare that you find such a bond between people these days. People feeding off of each other’s work can be a rare thing these days.
“To me the female form can be described with three words beautiful, elegant, and sensual.” I couldn’t agree more with him. He then goes on to say that, “I think you need a photographic painting technique to capture all three of those.” From this we get the style that IS Mark Holland-Hicken.
The photo to the right is my favorite work by Mark. It is entitled “Seduction.” It was set to be a set of three, Temptation, Seduction, and Perdition. This photo depicts Mark’s favorite model, Pamela, from just below her breasts to just below her hips. While so little is shown in the picture so much is gathered. You feel such a warm attraction to her and want to know where the rest of her is, and want to feel the softness of her skin. I have to admit that while Pamela has a beautiful stomach, in my talk with Mark I asked him about the belt she was wearing. This is what he had to say about a conversation that Pamela and he had recently: “the belts hint at erotica without being overtly obvious. We think it gives the subject a sense of her own strength, desirability and sexuality – but you would still feel comfortable introducing her to your mother.”
I am going to leave you all with the a question I asked Mark, but only wanted to put it in his words because it was so well said and with so much character. So please check out Mark’s work at the links below as well as Gabriele Rigon!
Who is one person that you want to paint? nude or not? why?
In many ways I have already found that person. The lady I have painted most is Pamela, in fact I must have painted her 200 times so far. She is one of Gabriele’s models. Like Gabriele I find that Mediterranean girls have so much soul, passion, elegance and of course sensuality that they can’t be bettered. I once said to Gabriele that I could paint Pamela until I’m 90 but I can’t paint Pamela when she’s 90! So, to tie in with another project we took 1000′s of photographs of her – I will still be painting her in my 90′s!
A few more famous names on my list would be Kate Moss (So cheeky, so British!). Sometimes Madonna has a certain look I’d like to capture. An older favorite would be Sophia Loren.
But top of the famous list at the moment would have to be – wait for it, sorry for being cheesy…
Kylie Minogue! Forget the music for moment, forget the accent – in fact forget all of her past. But just look at her. I know she’s only tiny but she is without a doubt perfectly proportioned and her facial features are to die for…
I could paint her until I’m 190!
12 Rooms, 9 Courtyards, 1 Floor
December 22nd, 2008
The owner of the building had the the new building built over his childhood home where he grew up. The architects are Mauricio Pezo, Sofia von Ellrichshausen and this lovely property is located in Chiguayante, Chile. This is definitely on my favorite looking houses and the design is right up my ally. You have a large rectangle filled with smaller staggered squares.
The new building comprises twelve rooms arranged around nine courtyards, constructed around the existing trees on the site. Click the image above to be taken the post on dezeen.com
Who’s Hungry? – Johnny Cupcakes
December 22nd, 2008
Who’s hungry?…for some crazy new fashion by one of the brightest minds Boston, MA has ever seen? I am. Johnny Cupcakes has taken the fashion world by storm. Creator John Earle started the clothing line as a joke and it soon turned into a sensation. Some of you may have heard of Johnny…while others this is your first time. Either way, I’m sure you are eager to read about him. With his store on Newbury St. in Boston, pumping out t-shirts like breeding rabbits he figured it was time to move to the next best place. LA baby! From the back of an ‘89 Toyota Camry to the mean streets of LA.
His store is set up like that of a fresh bakery. The employees wearing their aprons and the climate controlled pastry displays for all the merchandise. On the day of opening people would come in searching for pastries and pancakes, only to be duped into buying some of the hottest merchandise on the market today.
With a design like, “Make Cupcakes, Not War,” it’s hard not to resist. Even with shirts selling between $40-$70 a pop they still sell. Johnny shares his secret with all when he says, “Everybody wants what no one has,” so he keeps a lot of his products on a limited edition cycle. What better way to keep people coming back for more. With his unchallenged creativity it is safe to say that Johnny Cupcakes holds a promising future in the fashion industry. He has shared his business secrets with all so all could follow in his footsteps. Some of his celebrity followers include Pharrell and Jonah Hill from Superbad.
Be sure to check out his online store for news and updates on all his products. If you are in the Boston or LA area be sure to stop in and shake Johnny’s hand on a job well done and purchase yourself some Cupcakes without any guilty after thoughts of love-handles.
Mike Poorman – Strangeways Recording
December 22nd, 2008
Who is Mike Poorman? If you do not already know him, then now is the time to learn. 32 year-old, Mike Poorman, is the owner and head Producer/Engineer of Strangeways Recording. Strangeways is a Providence, RI based recording studio. Mike spent his earlier years doing some extensive touring in bands such as Hot Rod Circuit (Vagrant), Reach the Sky (Victory), and Boston indie rockers, the Shyness Clinic (Insound), before opening Strangeways in 2005. Once he opened the doors to his “final resting place” in the biz he began working with some more notable names such as Paulson, Piebald, Tsunami Bomb, and Orange Island.
Mike has also spent time working with several unsigned bands as well in hopes of giving them the professional boost they need to be known to everyone. Such bands include, Therefore I Am, Zac Clark, The Eclectic Collective, and The Sketches. His love and desire for the music industry keeps him in touch with several unsigned bands today, as well as more well established bands, in hopes to bringing some of the more impressive talent to light.
Today Mike is currently residing in Providence, RI where he can be seen walking Sona, the studio devil dog.
I was able to talk with Mike about his business and plans for the future. Take a look at what he had to say and get to know him a little better. Be sure to check him out on the links above and send him some love.
The Crying Game
December 21st, 2008
A while back I had discovered an album of photographs. A collection of photos from photographer, Sam Taylor-Wood, that show some of the most masculine actors known today in tears. Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Daniel Craig are a few of the actors depicted. These are men that have chosen to be everyone, but themselves their entire lives. Now you can see the vulnerable and HUMAN inside of them. Artwork by Sam Taylor-Wood on White Cube. Check out Taylor’s stuff and many other photographers work on White Cube.
“Some of the men cried before I even finished loading the camera, but others found it really difficult. People can decide for themselves which they think are the authentic tears and which they think are fake. It’s about the idea of taking these big, masculine men and showing a different side.”
- Sam Taylor-Wood
Gabriela Marquez
December 15th, 2008
Who is Gabriela Marquez? I stumbled upon her work while browsing Spraygraphic.com. Her unique eye caught mine and I couldn’t help but bring her work directly to you
all.
Architecture Test
December 12th, 2008This is a test post for the Architeture section. Please come back soon to see some of the latest coolest Architecture around.
Thanks,
Tom
Weeds – Vince Ream
December 12th, 2008No not the television series. Sorry to disappoint. Instead I bring you a video from a man that I know personally and had the pleasure of sharing classes with in high school. The best things happen closest to home sometimes. I am very proud to have met this man, Vince Ream, he has worked hard throughout college and now as a college graduate. So hard in fact, that it has been near impossible to get in a few words with him.
Vince Ream is an alumni film student from The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and now works at Aurum Design as a Motion and Design Artist and Film Editor. The past few projects of his have been time-based Film Competitions and it seems to have given him a great respect for the art of Film making.
The following production is called “Weeds.” It won the 2007 Milwaukee 48-Hour Film Competition, and went on to the 2008 Cinequest Film Festival, as well as the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
“Weeds” 2007 from Vince Ream on Vimeo.
