Last night was opening night for artists Liz Brizzi and Ana Bagayan at Thinkspace Galllery in Culver City, CA. If you read this blog regularly, you may already know I’m a huge fan of Liz’s gritty, textured urban-scapes [is that a word? if not, it should be]. However, the work of Ms. Bagayan, featured in the main gallery, was a pleasant discovery. Her use of light and creamy-smooth shading were breathtaking, and her quirky characters were quite endearing. The mini dinosaurs kind of made my heart melt. A lot. My hipstamatic iPhone photos certainly don’t do either artist justice in the accuracy dept., so be sure to link over to both websites to see the actual paintings.
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While I’m jealous I couldn’t see these gorgeous sights for myself in person, I’m eternally grateful to artist and fellow textile designer Liz Brizzi for sharing her photos from a recent trip to Israel, Greece and Turkey. This post is the final installment of photos from this trip, I certainly feel I saved the juiciest inspiration for last. But don’t you fret, Ms. Brizzi has hinted there is another trip on her horizon. Look forward to more Brizzi Abroad in the new year. To find out more about Liz, visit her website and Etsy shop.
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Without further ado, I’m pleased to bring you part two in a three part series of travel photos taken by fellow textile artist, and good friend, Liz Brizzi. She took these photos while traveling to Israel, Greece and Turkey; if you haven’t already seen her snapshots from the spice market, you should definitely check them out… I’m still not over the dried avocado, but these pretty lanterns are a nice distraction. For more of Liz, check out her artist interview, Etsy page, and blog.
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It is with great pleasure that I’m able to share these wonderful photographs taken by the talented Liz Brizzi, who you may remember from our Artist Interview with her a few weeks back. She recently did a bit of traveling to Israel, Greece and Turkey, and the photos she took were so amazing that I had to split them up into a few segments so that I could show all of them. The below images were taken at a fruit and spice market; the colors and textures are astounding – but not as astounding as the moment where I discovered the dried avocados in one of the below images. My heart just skipped a beat. This market is magical.
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If you like to overdose on color and texture (and of course I do), then I’m excited to introduce you to Liz Brizzi, a textile and fine artist living and working in Los Angeles. I love her colorful multimedia paintings depicting gritty urban landscapes, they have a quiet solitude I don’t normally associate with cities like Los Angeles. It’s as if she’s redefining the well-manicured iconography this city is typically known for. And while you can’t find many of her textile designs on her Etsy page, they are equally stunning. Her artwork is so layered and complex, and the colors are so bold and yet effortless all at once. In a nutshell, I am madly in love with her style. Be sure to read on to see her answers to our six little questions.
AW: Where do you like to find inspiration?
LB: Well I have to say that I find inspiration in places where most people wouldn’t venture. The grittier and more remote, the better. Sometimes I just go drive around in the suburbs and most industrial areas of Los Angeles with my camera and just start shooting. I’ll take hundreds of photos on those safaris of mine. Sometimes people think I’m really weird… “Why is she taking pictures of this old decrepit warehouse?”. Ha! I guess I see beauty where most people wouldn’t.
AW: Describe your style in three words.
LB: Gritty. Colorful. Desolate.
AW: Do you have a favorite theme or medium you like to follow within your personal work?
LB: My medium is always the same. It’s a mix of photography printed on paper and collaged onto canvas or wood panels within layers of acrylic paint. The theme is urban, city landscapes. Some are more realistic than others. I either paint a straight up “portrait landscape”, or create a more abstract alternate reality by collaging together pieces and architectural details from several different photographs.
AW: If you could choose any designer or artist to collaborate with, who would it be and why?
LB: One one of my favorite artists right now is Ian Francis. I just love the way his paintings are partly super detailed and refined, and partly loose and sketchy. I want to try and incorporate some of that into my own art.
AW: What do you like to do to unwind when you need a break from work?
LB: Well, between my fine art and working on textile prints, when I finally have time to myself, I like to do things that are completely non-creative! Like hanging out with friends, watching movies, and also cooking. Even though you could say that cooking can be creative. But there is something really relaxing to me about following a recipe and not working with any fancy technology like computers, cameras etc… Just me and my wood spoon.
AW: If you won the lottery today, would your job, your art, or the process you use change in any way?
LB: I would probably get the most expensive tools ever, which would allow me to work in HUGE format. That could be interesting. But to be totally honest… if I win the lottery, something tells me I would be too busy traveling the world and not working. :)
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