"After all the years of using different brushes with mixed results, I found Trekell and have never gone back. The quality and durability is unmatched by any other affordable brushes I've worked with. I can always count on a sharp point and know that the paint will be distributed consistently with every stroke. You can rely on them, it's as simple as that."
Born in 1985, artist Nick Runge grew up in Colorado. Coming from a creative family of professional artists, he was always interested in drawing and imagining ideas visually.
After working as an illustrator full time from 2004-2015 he shifted focus to more personal work using watercolor or oil paint. As an accomplished portrait and figurative painter, Nick's work features a unique blend of traditional structure and abstract shapes, creating ethereal moods and captivating images, often involving the fragmented energy of human faces and skeletons, which he uses as universal symbols.
His paintings focus less on narrative content and more on the presentation of each subject, letting the composition, color and interplay of light to lead the way. His work aims to inspire viewers to see the ordinary in a new way.
Artist Links: Instagram, Website, Facebook
NICK'S PICKS:
Trekell Protégé Plus #4 and #14 Rounds
Trekell Onyx Quill Mop Brushes
"I love Trekell for the consistent high quality. The Legions and Hog Bristles can handle about any type of mark-making I choose to make. From delicate realism to more heavy handed applications, my Trekell brushes are a perfect fit for my changeable modes of expression. "
David's signature style reveals a personal and contemporary expression of beauty and order which pays homage to Western European Classical Tradition in its craftsmanship.
Collectors of David's work often relate that his painting evokes a sense of peace, stillness, or a contemplative mood. His award winning works have been covered by major art publications including Southwest Art, Art of the West, and American Art Collector.
David also teaches several workshops per year in portraiture and still life painting throughout the United States and abroad.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, Website
DAVID'S PICKS:
Trekell Legion Filbert Brushes
Trekell Hog Bristle Filbert Brushes
"Since I work with watercolor, gouache, and oil, I needed versatile art supplies that would last through many hours of painting, and I quickly found Trekell's brushes and panels to be the perfect fit for my art. Their supplies are all well made and high-quality, but also a great value, which is, of course, an ideal combination. I've admired Trekell's enduring support for art and artists for many years, and I'm thrilled to be able to participate as part of their Pro Team!"
Lizzy Gass is a painter who utilizes watercolor and gouache to craft fantastical worlds and capture treasured memories.
With a background in chemistry and nursing, she merges her love for science, fairytales, and the outdoors to produce whimsical and detailed paintings that invite the viewer to step into new worlds or glimpse snippets of magic in the everyday.
Her work is inspired by a childhood filled with reading fanciful stories and sci-fi books, building forts, and playing in the woods. Lizzy aims to evoke a sense of enchantment through her art, prompting thoughts of raindrops and wildflowers, cups of tea, and reading books by a cozy fire.
Artist Links: Instagram, TikTok, Website
LIZZY'S PICKS:
Trekell Golden Taklon Brushes
Trekell Raw Wood Block Panels - 1/2" Thick Baltic Birch
"As a full-time artist, I am pulled in many directions with my work: correspondence, networking, social media, bookkeeping, etc. But when it's time to sit down and paint, I want to know that I'm working with the best materials available. Knowing my peers and artists I look up to support a product makes a difference when I'm choosing to buy new supplies. High quality supplies make it easier to create high quality paintings.
I love Trekell panels because they're sturdy and lightweight, and I know that when I pull a Trekell brush out of the bunch, it will last through all of the roughness my brushes endure when I use my dry-brush technique. Working with Acryla Gouache, I have to keep my brushes clean, lest they dry out completely, so I treat them to a bath in the Trekell brush restorer when they're looking a little frayed."
Allison Bamcat is a color-obsessed painter living in Los Angeles.
Through her use of texture, expression, and vivid color, she seeks to invoke feelings of nostalgia, magic, intensity, and gravity. The creatures, props and plants in her paintings serve as guides on her personal journey.
Bamcat works in acryla gouache for her fine art painting and also creates large-scale murals throughout the US.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, Website
ALLISON'S PICKS:
Golden Taklon #0 Script and #8 Filbert Brushes
Trekell Raw Baltic Birch Panels - 1 3/4" Gallery Profile
“I’m a fairly new loyal user of Trekell brushes. I’d heard of them in the past, and had friends that swore by them. They're now the star players in my brush arsenal, and I continually find myself reaching for them over and over.
I absolutely love Trekell’s Opal Synthetic Hog Bristle Filberts. There’s a nice bounce in the shaft of the brush, as well as a softness that allows me to layer paint one stroke at a time. Thrilled to be working with Trekell and be a part of this inspiring little company that is empowering artists worldwide.”
Ashley Glazier is a American-Peruvian, contemporary realist oil painter, with her work focusing primarily on still life subject matter. She currently shows in galleries and paints out of her studio in Orem, UT. She was born in Fort Lauderdale, FL and was raised in Boise, ID.
Like a lot of artists, she's always been creating in one form or another since childhood, but it wasn't until college that she oil painted for the first time. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration in 2017.
Ashley currently lives in Provo, Utah with her husband, Tyler, and ginger cat, Oscar. Ashley spends her free time outside in the Utah mountains, reading, playing her switch, and traveling with her husband.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, Website
ASHLEY'S PICKS:
Trekell Opal Filbert Brushes
"In 2015, I was introduced to Trekell panels during a group exhibition, and from that moment on, I've been enchanted by their array of tools and products. Their panels not only enhance the quality of my work but also add value to my collectors' investments. Additionally, their brushes, silicone tools, and soap have become indispensable staples in my studio.
Being a part of Trekell's professional team is an immense privilege, allowing me to align myself with a company I wholeheartedly endorse and believe in."
Internationally renown as the "Queen of Double Eyes", Alex Garant studied visual arts at Notre-Dame–De-Foy College just outside Quebec City. She decided to truly commit to her passion for Arts after suffering from a heart attack in 2012, changing forever how she would see the world.
As a pioneer of Contemporary Figurative Op Art, her oil paintings offer a graphic quality combined with traditional portrait techniques. Garant establishes herself as one of the leaders of analogue Glitch Art by using patterns, duplication of elements, symmetry and image superposition as key elements of her imagery.
Represented by galleries in Canada, United States and Australia, her works have also been shown in several museums including the Museum of Art and History (MOAH) in California, the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum in Arizona, the Honolulu Museum of Art in Hawaii and the Fullerton Museum Center in California. She has been featured in Hi-fructose, Juxtapoz, Beautiful Bizarre, the American Art Collector magazine and on multiple online platforms including VICE, The Huffington Post, Buzznet and many more.
Collaboration clients include: MARVEL x Sideshow Collectibles, KAPPA, Universal Music x Billy Talent, Universal UK, Budweiser Events, Penguin Random House, Mr Men X Little Miss.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Tumblr, YouTube, Website
ALEX'S PICKS:
Trekell 2" Paint Shaper
Trekell Linseed Oil Soap
Trekell Mop Brushes
Trekell MIDZ Filbert Brushes
"I’m a long time fan of Trekell because they make high quality, reliable, and reasonably priced products. There’s nothing else I can really ask for when it comes to good art materials. As someone who paints daily, I need to know that my materials are going to perform well every time, and can endure the rigors of my artistic practice. Cheap brushes that fray and fall apart after a few uses can only get you so far. Investing in Trekell products means I'm never questioning the quality of my tools, or fighting against them to do my work. I’m thrilled to be a member of the Pro Team and represent Trekell, because I already use their products in my own practice and can easily recommend them."
Taylor Schultek was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1990. He began his art career young, doing graphic design for local punk bands and simultaneously painting graffiti, which still influences his work today.
Through the Minneapolis graffiti community he found exhibition opportunities and was introduced to the gallery side of the art world. He later went on to earn his BFA degree in drawing from Minnesota State University Moorhead and his MFA in painting and anatomy from the New York Academy of Art in 2016. Afterwards, he gained primary representation with Gallery Poulsen in Denmark, and now regularly exhibits his work internationally and at major art fairs.
His works have been featured in numerous publications including Hi-Fructose, Juxtapoz, and the cover of American Art Collector. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, which often serves as the subject matter or setting in his paintings.
Artist Links: Instagram, Website
TAYLOR'S PICKS:
]]>"Many years ago I was hunting for the perfect brushes. Every brush I tried would fall short because the bristles would start going all over the place after a few short months. Finally, I tried the “Opal” Flats from Trekell. As usual, I stayed skeptical for the first couple months, but then after they survived a whole year with minimal damage or “splaying”, I knew these were the ones for me. It's been a couple years for each brush I'm using currently, and they still perform almost like new brushes.
As a bonus, I started using Trekell's Gesso Primed Hardboard Panels after discovering their brushes. I love the unique texture they have on the surface along with the build quality!
I was very excited to hear the news that I would be part of their Pro Team! It's awesome knowing I get to help a company I've loved for years continue to grow!"
Josh Sorrell (1979) is a life-long resident of Iowa, growing up in the small rural city of Spencer. Leading up to his teenage years, not only did he revel in the act of drawing, but he also found joy in crafting wooden objects in his garage using tools from his grandpa. It was in these moments working alone that Sorrell found peace and introspection. His work today is greatly influenced by this natural desire to look inward.
As a teenager, Sorrell discovered his knack for drawing with great accuracy. Using this newfound ability, he was inspired to draw what he saw around him, often using other people as his muse. Despite his artistic inclinations, Sorrell's family encouraged him to focus on a more traditional career, which led him to become an architectural drafter and illustrator for fourteen years. During this time, Josh couldn't ignore his desire to create fine art. It wasn't until a friend was diagnosed with stage-four cancer that he realized his biggest regret in life would be not pursuing a life as a full-time artist. One month later in 2015, Sorrell relinquished his former occupation and embraced his true calling.
Since that moment, Sorrell has been cultivating a unique style of figurative art that is both ethereal and psychological. His artwork has been part of numerous solo and group exhibitions across the nation. Josh’s work has also earned top awards in many juried art shows, and is collected internationally. Currently, Josh works from his studio at Mainframe Studios in Des Moines, Iowa.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Website
JOSH'S PICKS:
]]>"I've been using Trekell products for roughly a decade, and through that time,Trekell has always been a company that works with and is very accessible to artists. The brushes are a low price point but with astounding quality, and hold their shape from the first painting to their twentieth painting. I've been using the Protege brushes for a while now and I've yet to find a better brush for watercolor."
Mallory Hart is a professional artist and illustrator based out of Denver, Colorado. Inspired by the rustic, gritty, industrial side of the natural world, she renders a style that is both realistic and dark, with a touch of playfulness.. Mallory works mainly in watercolor to create dark and ominous art, but with cute cats! Her vast portfolio runs the gamut from disquietly dark skull images to joyously heartwarming pet portraits. In addition to fine art, Mallory creates enamel pins, patches, and stickers.
Mallory travels the country exhibiting at roughly two dozen out of state shows with the Oddities & Curiosities Expo. At these shows, she sells her art, prints, and more to new and existing patrons and collectors.
As well as working on small intricate fine art pieces, Mallory also is a professional in the theatrical art world. As a scenic artist in the world of professional theatre, Mallory has been very fortunate to collaborate with world-renowned designers and participate in numerous award-winning productions.
Mallory has two cats, a BFA from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in illustration, a dog, a lizard, and a husband.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Website
MALLORY'S PICKS:
]]>“I love Trekell brushes not only because they are exceptional for the price but they enable some incredible artists to create some truly incredible artwork. And they are helping me push the boundaries of my imagination into something that is real."
In his younger years, Joshua Mizusawa's art journey kicked off with a trusty college-ruled notebook. From doodling people, aliens, to creating funky robots, he'd get lost for hours in his own little creative haven. As time rolled on, that childhood love for art evolved into a deep appreciation for pieces that mix design, skill, and a big dose of creativity.
Joshua draws inspiration from legends like Katsushika Hokusai, the creator behind "36 Views of Mount Fuji and The Great Wave. As well as, Takashi Murakami, the contemporary artist blending pop culture with fine art. He's inspired to those who push the boundaries of art.
Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the fourth child in a mixed-race family, Joshua soaked in Japanese and Hispanic traditions. Whether slurping down pozole during Christmas or munching on a steaming bowl of rice for breakfast, his art is a mashup of his hometown's vibrant colors and culture. With a deep appreciation for his Japanese and Hispanic roots.
Joshua's current artistic style is all about those clean, smooth lines paired with carefully selected colors. His aim is to create artworks that hold deep meaning and evoke emotions in the spaces they occupy. Joshua strives for art that communicates a story in the most straightforward manner possible. When bringing his creations to life, he dives into the world of fluid matte acrylics, inks, and his trusted Trekell brushes. For him, art is not just a means of expressing himself; it's a process of seamlessly blending different facets of his identity into a beautiful visual.
Artist Links: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok
Johua's Picks: Trekell Golden Taklon Brushes - Long Handle
]]>“I am really exited to be part of the 2024 Trekell Pro Team. I’m a big fan of how Trekell embraces the art culture and more importantly brings a creative family together. Let’s create something!"
Creating 3D art has been a passion for Frank Montano, for over a decade. From concept to finished painting, he shares the process of his art to inspire the next generation while immersing himself in the experience one project at a time.
Frank, known as "Feast”, was born in San Jose, California. A 90’s kid raised on Saturday morning cartoons and the toys of his favorite characters. He now resides in Seattle Washington, where he runs The Feast Studio as a full time creative. It's a small space where he creates artwork inspired by his childhood cartoons and pop culture.
He is a father of three kids, who share Franks passion and excitement for art. When he makes time for his hobbies, they typically are Bass Fishing, BMX and running.
Franks work is produced through digital sculpting, 3d printing and hand painting. You’ll find a signature appearance in all of his work. The subtle textures he achieves in his finishes complement the clay-like appearance. In a sense, he is creating the toys he wishes he had as a child.
He has used Trekell brushes for over 10 years and since has never had a reason to pick up another brand of brush. His favorite brushes are the Golden Taklons and are showcased throughout his videos. The scripts, rounds and flats are his go-to brushes, but the 5/0 script is his favorite. He uses it all of the time on his Resin Sculptures. It allows him to paint along the form of his designs with ease and precision.
Artist Links: Website, Instagram, YouTube, Patreon
Frank's Picks:
]]>
"Trekell's hog bristle brushes are perfect for oil paints, blending toughness with flexibility for everything from thick applications to fine details. They keep their shape well, even with heavy use, offering consistent performance that artists can count on.
The Golden Taklon brushes are my other go to brush type for oil paints, mimicking natural hair to allow for smooth and soft application and the blending needed for more detailed work. They're especially good for precise techniques like glazing scumbling, with synthetic fibers that resist the general wear and tear associated with this process.
Trekell's Hog Bristle and Golden Taklon brushes embody the qualities that professional artists need: durability, control, and versatility. Their construction speaks to a deep understanding of artists' needs, offering tools that withstand the physical demands of painting and perform reliably no matter the technique."
Stephen Bauman was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1980, but his family relocated to Miami, Florida shortly thereafter. It was in Miami that he started to delve into the world of graffiti, inspired by his older brother. Bauman's childhood was deeply rooted in the arts, with easy access to paints and sketchbooks. During his teenage years, he expanded his canvas to local walls and warehouses, where he practiced painting on a grander scale. This early engagement provided him with a solid foundation in the basics of design and drawing.
However, the period from 2003 to 2009, spent at the Florence Academy of Art, was a pivotal phase in Bauman's artistic development. During his tenure there, both as a student and later as an instructor, he began to perceive the human figure under a new light. His mentors stressed the significance of appreciating beauty in proportions, advising against viewing facial features as isolated elements. Instead, they encouraged a holistic consideration of the head's structure and anatomy, and the ambiance enveloping the model. This approach profoundly altered Bauman's perspective on art.
He dedicated 12 years to teaching in the drawing and painting program at the Florence Academy of Art and served as the director of the Anatomy & Ecorche Department for six years, initially in Sweden and subsequently in the USA.
In 2020, Bauman departed from the academy to dedicate himself entirely to his art career and his own online academy. His current work is intensely focused on the human figure, endeavoring to capture its essence and emotional depth through the interplay of color, line, texture, and the distinctive characteristics of the mediums he uses, such as oil paint, watercolor, graphite, and charcoal.
Artist Links: Patreon, Instagram, YouTube, Website
STEPHEN'S PICKS:
]]>I also need to mention the Trekell X Gamblin varnish brush. I can’t think of a better tool to do the job. It was a pain to clean and keep the varnish materials alive, but now I can’t go back.
Summarising, what I personally need in a brush is the ability to keep them sharp for long. And with these materials that’s possible and painting is much more joyful. I proudly recommend these to my community knowing that these will also make their lives easier."
Alai Ganuza was born in Bilbao in 1993. In Basque, Alai means happy, which according to many is reflected in her paintings and herself.
Even though art was always a passion, the fear of not being able to make a living from that made her study science in high school and uni, but due to life circumstances she had to step back and start over. That’s when she decided to embrace art again and entered the University of Basque Country to make the Fine Arts degree.
In 2020, not being satisfied with her current work, she started a journey to explore and practise by painting every day and sharing it on social media as a way to commit with it (later the quarantine made this a bit easier). She was already selling some paintings in local stores, but social media made a huge impact and helped her reach a lot of new collectors around the globe. And not only interested in her art, she also found a large audience interested in the journey and her painting techniques.
She started to teach on instagram and progressively adapted the content to the demand and the available platforms until she created her own courses in Domestika, Live Workshops and painting retreats.
Alai uses all kind of mediums and subjects, but her favourite technique is oil painting. With visible brushstrokes and vibrant colors, she enhances the mundane scenes and objects into bright and colorful still life paintings.
Alai’s art career just started but she manages to combine the goal of painting and make a living from that passion while she teaches and makes the community grow around it.
Artist Links: Instagram Website YouTube Facebook X Reddit TikTok
Alai's Picks:
Trekell Spectrum Brushes
Trekell Opal Brushes
Trekell x Gamblin Varnish Brush
Gamblin Oil Paint
His search led him to enroll in the historical Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore, Maryland. It was there that he developed not only his technical abilities, but also an appreciation for the craft of material making.
Currently Eisele specializes in still life painting. He is known for his dynamic depiction of light and shadow and for his use of vibrant color. His aim is to push the boundaries of ordinary objects to create alluring and unique effects in each of his paintings.
His larger compositions take up to several months to complete. However, Eisele is also an accomplished alla prima painter, and is known for short format videos on social media of one-sitting still life's. His body of work is characterized by bold design and lustrous surface effects.
Eisele has received recognition from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Art Renewal Center, and the American Museum of the Cowboy. He has been featured in "American Art Collector" and "International Artist" magazines and his solo show "Oil + Light" was reviewed by the Washington Post. He has won first place in prestigious exhibitions including NOAPS Best of America Small Works. In recent years, Eisele has been focusing on developing his reputation as an international realist. He currently resides in Central Mexico.
Favorite Trekell Products-
My professional ambition is to present my collectors with a painting that is not only beautiful, but meticulously crafted from the support up. I am uncompromising about the materials that I use.
Where low quality products can detract from an otherwise masterful work, quality products ensure a painting's longevity and give it a rich, flawless presentation.
Testimonial
Trekell products make up a lot of my toolkit. Everything that Trekkell does reflects a sincere appreciation for the craft of art-making. Trekkell creates quality products designed with artists in mind, interacts with the public with genuine humanity, and fosters community through contests and engagement. It is a company that I enthusiastically use and recommend to others because of that dedication to quality and respect for artists.
My go to Trekell Brushes are the Filbert Hog Bristles and Filbert Opal Synthetics. I typically paint with a direct approach which requires an aggressive and stiff brush. I love the way you can load up the Trekell Hog Bristles with paint for nice creamy, intentional brushstrokes.
If I am in a more delicate mind-set I go for the synthetic Opals. They hold their shape extremely well which allows me to know exactly what each brush stroke will look like. The Opals are also just soft enough to allow me to meld, blend and layer strokes together with control.
Although it is fun to play around with other shapes, I prefer the Filbert shaped brushes. It gives the best of both worlds; the precision of sharp linear brush strokes as well as the boldness of thick, broad strokes. This allows me to start and finish a painting using only a single brush. Which I am thankful for once it is time to clean up!
The Oil Primed ACM Panels are my favorite Trekell support. They offer a pleasant texture to work on. The panel grabs the paint nicely without being overly absorbent.
These panels are at a great value making them easy to stock up on. The ACM backing makes them extremely light and easy to stack and store for future use. The subtle design of the beveled edges gives the panels a sleek and professional finish.
I am a HUGE fan of the Linseed Oil Soap and Brush Restorer. As I mentioned above, I love Hog Bristle brushes but I hate when the bristles splay out after a few aggressive painting sessions.
The soap removes the oil paint from within the bristles more thoroughly than any other soap I have tried. The Brush Restorer gives brushes that crisp, fresh from the store feeling and shape every time. These two products have been life changing in allowing me to keep my brushes in working condition much longer.
Social Media
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/nickeisele_art/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@nickeisele_art
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nick.eisele.35
YouTube - https://youtube.com/@nickeisele8826
Website - https://www.nickeisele.com
]]>Stephanie is a New York based painter, illustrator and designer working traditionally with gouache and watercolor paints. Inspired by design of the past, folklore, mythology, literature and the natural (and supernatural) world, her colorful work can be seen everywhere from commercial illustration to fashion.
She discovered a love of working with gouache paints while studying illustration at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, which soon led to working full time in the Illustration industry in the early 2000’s.
Since then, she’s worked on a wide variety of projects-from picture and comic books, toys, character design and licensing to accessory and textile design. Keeping true to her love of handmade, she continues to create art using traditional image making methods.
When time allows, creating personal works, participating in gallery exhibitions and designing new creations and textiles for her shops are at the top of the to-do list.
Testimonial:
“As someone who works primarily with gouache, Trekell brushes have been a game changer. It’s important for my brushes to be daily workhorses, to hold water efficiently and keep their shape and spring with lots of use. When I first started working with Trekell brushes, I fell in love with the Golden Taklons for washes, blending and textures. Soon after, the Protégé and Protégé Plus brushes became fast favorites, the precision and line quality I can achieve with them is unmatched”.
Favorite Products:
Protégé Plus Round 6" Short Handle
Social Media Accounts:
Website: https://www.stephaniebuscema.com/
]]>“I first discovered Trekell brushes back when I was a cash strapped art student. I needed brushes that I could afford but would behave like a professional tool. When I first used a Trekell brush it was like a dream come true!
They always behave the way I expect them to and they never shed into my work. As I've transitioned from that art student to a professional artist, Trekell brushes have never let me down. These brushes are exactly what I need every time.”
Danica Sills is a painter who loves blending dark, creepy stories with bright, dreamy colors. Her earliest inspirations came from the lush worlds found in video games like Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy.
She spent her early days sketching her own characters and imagining their adventurous stories. Danica found her love for the use of sharp, clean lines in her work when she was given a set of inking pens as a child. The pursuit for the perfect lines in her art has never left her from that day on.
Danica transitioned from mostly digital art to traditional while working in her illustration program. She fell in love with the tactile satisfaction of traditional painting during a watercolor painting class.
She eventually found her way to oil painting, a favorite medium from that day on. Danica earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from BYU-I in 2016.
Danica spends her days dreaming of new characters and stories to paint. She has a special fascination with painting glowing bones. She is always seeking inspiration from the world around her, from dark rainy days to the twinkling city lights below her house.
Danica lives in Idaho with her two naughty cats, son, and husband. When she's not painting she's usually attempting to bake something tasty.
Artist Links: Instagram, Patreon, Website, YouTube
DANICA'S PICKS:
]]>“Deciding to make the move to Trekell products was an easy choice. After seeing so many brilliant and trustworthy artists swear by them, I was confident in their quality before even placing my first order.
Once I received my initial batch of Trekell brushes, I was hooked from the first stroke. The touch, the feel, the durability, the versatility, it was all there and exactly what I had been searching for. It felt like destiny.
Whenever I grab a Trekell brush I feel like I'm pulling Excalibur from its stone, ready to enter into the battlefield of creation."
From the age of six, music was the overwhelming focus of Andrew Cadima's early life, studying performance on the piano, violin, and guitar.
He received the Agnes Albert Scholarship to attend the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he would eventually earn bachelor and master's degrees in composition.
After enjoying a professional career conducting and writing music for musicians and ensembles all over the world, Andrew acted on the sudden and somewhat mysterious urge to throw himself entirely into painting.
With just about zero experience in oils, or any other medium for that matter, he began to discover a new and creative approach to painting that he now shares with a dedicated and ever-growing following.
He is committed to, not only producing an important body of work, but also to sharing his experience and technique with those eager to express themselves through art.
Andrew's work began with a strong focus on portraiture and human expression but now covers many varied subjects, from solemn still life's to surrealistic visions of speculative histories.
Today, he paints with the view that everything is fundamentally the same and understanding the simple physical interactions of light and surface are the keys to creating and representing any world you want.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Website
ANDREW'S PICKS:
]]>“Having worked primarily with Trekell’s 10” Crimson Taklons, I must say that these quality-forward brushes not only hold up well to my often-times aggressive handling, but also, with proper basic aftercare, retain their shape and structural integrity use after use.
The brushes load well, allowing for superb paint flow-out. I’m looking forward to working with Trekell’s other brushes and materials, including their watercolor and mix media tools and exploring their prepared panels such as the oil primed linen mounted on ACM.”
Kent Williams has built up a formidable reputation as a powerful contemporary draftsman and painter. His is a bold realism with combined attributes of abstraction and neo-expressionistic sensibilities. His work is characterized by strong gestural forms combined with areas of layered and arresting detail, rendered with rich dynamic brushwork.
Williams’ approach to his subjects is often subjective and intense. Whether through multi-figured compositional complexity and suggestive narrative, or with the straight-forward lone human form, there is often autobiographical narrative at play. Favorite models, friends, and the artist himself all play a role in the human story of his paintings.
Williams has exhibited his work nationally and internationally with over twenty-five solo exhibitions, and has participated in numerous group exhibitions domestically and abroad.
He is currently represented by KP Projects, Los Angeles, CA and EVOKE Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM. He has taught at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA, California Institute of the Arts, Santa Clarita, CA, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, and is currently part of the Mentor/MFA Program at Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA. Williams has had several monographs published of his work.
He has done work for numerous publishing houses and has had several graphic novels published by both Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics.
In the 1980’s he was one of the forerunners of what was coined as “Painted Comics”, setting the stage for a more experimental approach to the graphic novel medium.
His graphic novels include 'Blood: A Tale', 'Havoc and Wolverine: Meltdown', 'Tell Me, Dark', and he worked with filmmaker, Darren Aronofsky, developing the graphic novel of Aronofsky’s film, 'The Fountain'. Notably, he did the movie poster for the restored and theatrical re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Rashomon', and cover and interior art for the Criterion Collection Blu-ray edition of 'The Lord of the Flies'.
Williams currently lives in Pasadena, CA with his partner, the artist Soey Milk.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, Store, Twitter, Website
KENT'S PICKS:
Sienna - Synthetic Red Sable - 10" Handle
Protégé - Synthetic Kolinsky - 6" Handle
]]>“Trekell brushes are my go-to when pushing around charcoal and paint. When I decided to take my charcoal pieces to a larger scale, I searched high and low - mostly low because spoiler: I'm short - for the right brushes.
The Trekell Mop Brushes were able to take me to the next level with their ability to blend and push charcoal powder without losing any fibers in the process. Whenever I add paint to my pieces, the Trekell Hog Bristle Brushes bring life to my work through dimension and texture.
Trekell is so versatile, there is quite literally a brush for every artist and medium.”
Chelsea Leopold is an artist and goofball currently residing in San Diego, California. Since she can remember, probably safe to say even straight out of the womb, she has been creating art.
What started out as expertly crafted mud-pies, soon turned into realistic pieces on paper with pencil. Chelsea went to continue her art journey at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she studied Jewelry making and metal-smithing.
She foolishly thought that she knew all she needed to know about painting and drawing, so metal work was a nice challenge. It wasn't until years later when she broke her leg in a motorcycle accident and was forced to do nothing but sit and draw, that she realized that drawing and painting was and will always be her true passion.
Chelsea's work focuses on bending the idea of realism. She used to be so caught up in making every piece "perfect" that she didn't have her first breakthrough until she threw everything she knew out the window.
Her main subjects are often the repetition of eyes and hands, helping create the narrative of identity, or lack thereof, in the quantum realm.
Each piece is built using a chaotic layering process of charcoal and pastel, Turpenoid, and fixative. She does not have time any longer for perfection, what you see is often the decision of keeping something as-is and undone.
Although originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chelsea now lives in San Diego, California, with her two pups and studio mates, Mischa and Grim.
When she is not drawing, you can find her trash picking for used furniture to fix up, reading, or enjoying a brew at the local watering holes. She also advocates for mental health, hoping to help others who suffer from mood disorders and anxiety.
Main Image Credit: Will Levy
Artist Links: Instagram, Website
CHELSEA'S PICKS:
]]>"After years of trying different brushes, I have found Trekell brushes meet the needs of professional artists with high-quality bristles at an affordable price.
As I've gotten to know the company, I've observed how they take extra care of their customers, put out only quality products, and go the extra mile to serve their vibrant artist community.
I also love their gessoed panels and especially like their smooth eggshell surface texture and absorbency. They even take care to properly treat the backside of their panels which is rare in the art supply world. So whether you are interested in brushes or panels, I highly recommend their products."
A painter, lecturer, entrepreneur, and world traveler Bryan Mark Taylor is a true renaissance man.
As a painter, Bryan has traveled around the globe, carefully observing and capturing what he calls vanishing landscapes, going through rapid changes due to technological, socio-economic, and climate issues.
Whether it is farm country of the western United States, or cities and towns of China, India, South America, and Europe, he is passionate about recording the changing dynamics of these places.
Bryan has had over 20 successful one-person shows. He has won top awards in national and international shows, including 2nd place in the 2018 ARC Salon and a gold medal at the California Art Club's annual show.
He has been regularly featured in Fine Art Connoisseur, Plein Air, Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Imagine FX and American Artist magazines. Galleries in New York, California, and Utah currently represent Bryan's work, and his paintings are found in private, corporate, and museum collections worldwide.
Bryan is a sought-after teacher and lecturer and has taught courses at the Academy of Art University, Pixar, and the Scottsdale Artists School. In addition, Bryan has been a featured speaker at the Plein Air Convention, CTNX, and Vision X Live.
Bryan has an intense desire to improve the plein air painting and drawing experience, leading Bryan to create a premier outdoor painting system called the STRADA Easel used by plein air artists worldwide.
Bryan was born in Portland, Oregon. He received his BA from Brigham Young University in 2001 and his MFA from the Academy of Art University in 2005. He currently lives with his wife and children in Alpine, Utah.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Website
BRYAN'S PICKS:
Bryan Mark Taylor's Sentient Brush Set
Golden Taklon 6" Handles - Flat 2012 Series and Wash 2070 Series
Legion Brushes - Flat 9100F Series
]]>“Trekell is one of my all time favorite brands for these three reasons: quality, price, and ethics. I spent years making my own pigments, grinding my own paint and even making my own brushes. To sum it up, I am a materials nerd! After years of research and experience I settled down and really just wanted to have more time to paint. My good friend and fellow artist, Julie Beck, introduced me to Trekell.
She graciously gave me a few brushes and from then on I was hooked. The quality was amazing, the control that I could have over the paint was superior, no shedding hairs, and consistently returning to the desired shape even after a good amount of abuse from 12-15 hour painting days. I held my breath when approaching my first order, of course, I was anticipating the prices to be sky high like many other brands that were of similar professional quality.
I was elated to find that the brushes were affordable! I got 3 times the amount of brushes that I was expecting to, needless to say, I was happy. Lastly, the staff at Trekell has always been great, If there was ever an issue, it was resolved.
They have been kind, helpful, encouraging to me and all of my students and anyone that I know. That means a lot in today's world. I’ve exclusively bought Trekell for years before ever becoming a Pro Team Member, not out of some blind loyalty to a “brand”, but to me, the products of a company are related to the people inside of it.
The loving care, dedication to quality and well wishing to all of us, the artists, can be felt every time we paint.”
Eric Johnson was born in 1993, is a superlative Boston based Painter and instructor at The Academy of Realist Art Boston who is devoted to the preservation and growth of traditional painting.
Eric was awarded a one year full scholarship to the Academy of Realist Art Boston. He later would become a full time instructor and the second person ever to graduate the rigorous and intense observational training provided in the full program at ARA Boston.
Eric continues to be a strong participant in the growing appreciation of traditional art in Boston.
Eric’s work has been recognized and collected internationally, he has participated in shows in Europe and won numerous awards in the states. As a complete painter he aspires to reach a high level of verisimilitude and truth in his works on a variety of subject matters from portrait, still life and landscape.
To Eric, spirituality and philosophy are major parts of life, revealing the greater fruits of embodiment. He has dedicated himself to the Good and the beautiful, to capture the complexity of Nature’s ineffable spark at the root of reality that is best experienced from working directly from life.
Thus, transmuting the base matter of pigment and oil into a powerful painting, full of idealistic principles worthy of contemplation with Nature as the backbone of integrity. Like the
old master Painters, his career is leaning towards the churches, temples and government buildings to do larger, multi-figurative allegorical paintings.
Artist Links: Instagram, TikTok, Website
ERIC'S PICKS:
“I was introduced to Trekell about 10 years ago when my brother gifted me a Craola brush set for Christmas. They were the best brushes I had ever used, so I began steadily switching out my older brushes for Trekell. It was an easy decision since they were affordable and lasted a long time.
I continued following the company’s growth throughout the years and was especially excited to see them at DesignerCon! Every year I would stop by their booth and pick up some new brushes or watch a Pro Artist paint. I’ve admired not only their products, but also the connection they make with the art community.”
Alyssa Mees Trautz is a graphic designer, painter, and illustrator based in Southern California. Throughout 15 years of creating, she has drawn inspiration from her fascination with animals, nature, and street art. She strives to learn, explore, and grow with each piece she creates.
Alyssa comes from a creative family of painters, a tattoo artist, a baker and a musician. She began to embrace art late in her high school years when her favorite teacher encouraged her to keep painting.
She works as a full time brand manager and paints in the evenings and on the weekends. When she isn’t working, Alyssa enjoys cooking, eating, and spending time with her husband and dog.
Artist Links: Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Website
ALYSSA'S PICKS:
]]>“I started using Trekell’s Golden Taklons a handful of years ago and can say they never disappoint. From well secured ferrules to carefully crafted tips that come to a needle-like tip, I have to say these bad babies have never let me down! From ink and watercolor work, oil paintings and finally to varnishes, Trekell provides beautiful and absolutely reliable tools to get my job done."
Soey Milk has established herself as an impressive and compelling figure in contemporary figurative painting.
Her sensitive, sensual and delicate hand, and with a keen eye for the emotive use of form, has gained her a notable number of fans and followers of her work in just a short handful of years.
Born in 1989 in Seoul, Korea, Milk moved to Los Angeles at age 11. She earned her BFA from The Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA.
Milk’s early path was leading her to become a ballerina, but after she was first introduced to painting, she forthwith found a new passion to pursue. Some of the ballet dimensions remained, as she was still strongly drawn to human anatomy, which was a cornerstone for the development of her painterly pursuits.
Her work has been featured in Beautiful Bizarre magazine, American Art Collector magazine and on multiple online platforms. In 2017 she was commissioned by John Mayer to create the cover and sleeve art to his album “The Search for Everything."
Milk has exhibited her work nationally and internationally and is currently represented by EVOKE Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. She also teaches as part of the Mentor/MFA Program at The Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA.
She currently lives in Pasadena, CA with her partner, Kent Williams, eight beautiful chickens, and a cat-dog Shiba Inu.
Artist Links: Instagram, Website, Patreon, Store
SOEY'S PICKS:
]]>“I first tried out Trekell when they first were gracious enough to help sponsor the workshop I was teaching with Sentient Academy.
Upon picking up and trying out their brushes I never looked back. I have been switching between different brush types throughout my painting journey and Trekell’s Opal and Legion (my go to brush types) offer the perfect handling and flexibility in its performance.
I am at full confidence when I have their brushes in my hand before the start of a new painting and since starting to use them exclusively, it truly enhanced the efficiency of my artistic process.
Their panels are also magic, I’ve yet to come across a linen that could match the high quality buttery smoothness I felt when I used their Oil primed Linen on ACM. I am very excited and beyond honored to join them on their journey as a part of their Pro Team."
Kai Lun Qu is known for his alla prima paintings filled with expression and painterly strokes that evoke deep emotions. His unique blend of traditional style with a contemporary twist is a result of two extremes: a formal training in China’s most prestigious art academy, China Central Academy of Fine Arts and intense studies with renowned contemporary painters like Daniel Keys, Tim Rees and Michelle Dunaway in the United States.
Kai is currently creating oil paintings for Marvel, contributing to the award winning game, Marvel Snap. He was also on the faculty of the Portrait Society of America Conference as well as being a recipient of the Certificate of Excellence for their International competition. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the US, and published by Poets Artist Magazine and Plein Air Magazine. In 2018, Kai was featured in Southwest Art Magazine's 21 under 31 Article, where he was one of 21 artists under the age of 31 being celebrated as rising art stars from across the West and around the country.
Kai is a Pro Team Artist for Trekell Art Supplies, Mentor for Sentient Academy, Member in The Circle of Gamblin Artists + Educators. He has also presented and exhibited at Lightbox Expo, San Diego Comic Con and Vision X Global Art Conference.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Website
KAI LUN'S PICKS:
“I love using Trekell brand brushes and panels because of the quality, affordability and ease of purchase via website. But what sets them apart from the competition is the human presence in communication with the brand. Whether it be troubleshooting or answering questions about brush difference, Trekell responds with a timely and educated answer. This brand establishes a real connection with the artists they provide service to."
As a young child, Victor would receive art pieces through the mail from his uncle. Each drawing was in pen but the surface would vary. Victor later discovered that his uncle was sending these to him from San Quentin.
The drawings helped ground his uncle and keep him connected to life outside prison throughout his long years of confinement. It was the beautiful craftsmanship and extreme detail, along with the story told with these pieces that inspired Victor’s love of art, which you can see echoed in the art he produces.
Victor Roman’s passion for expressing himself through art motivates him to sketch and paint whenever he can. On most days, you will find him painting in his studio until late into the night. Painting well into the evening shows his dedication to his craft, and after 3 years of study at Palomar College, Victor’s talent has grown exponentially. The subjects he paints evoke complex emotions in the viewer, who are challenged to consider their feelings and develop their own interpretation of his art.
Music is a large part of Victor’s life. Throughout the day he listens to a variety of music but finds himself drawn to artists such as Portishead, A Perfect Circle and Leonard Cohen on his personal time. Victor’s art is influenced by music, but of a different kind. While he is working, Victor listens to music from areas of the world that he is unfamiliar with. The culturally indigenous sounds inspire and inform his work. He researches their area of origin and learns about the traditions and culture of the people who live there. He then produces a piece of work that best interprets the artists and cultures’ story.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
VICTOR'S PICKS:
“Trekell supplies are my go-to, since making professional-quality work requires professional-quality art supplies.
I need brushes that work as hard as I do, and archival surfaces that are built to last.
Perfectly-shaped geometric panels and brushes that hold their shape make a huge difference in my workflow, and in the sharpness and quality of my finished paintings. "
Hannah's work focuses on technique in application and dynamic color, usually with a focus on organic subjects such as animals, mundane objects, or vignettes of the human body.
Her paintings are layers of independent shapes, stacked with precision to imply light, texture, and form.
With a balance of both careful color shifts and loud punches of contrasting hues, the result is harmonious and vibrates with life. Hannah enjoys creating work on wooden surfaces, as the smoothness best lends itself to the clean and precise marks that evolve into her visual geometry.
Her paintings are designed to exist carefully between mechanical and fluid, representational and abstracted, and ultimately tell an old story in a new voice.
Hannah not only paints, but she has a day job working in education, which is partially why she's used an alias name for her artwork.
The college where she works is centered around video game and visual effects development, which is another nerdy outlet that she enjoys to keep in her life for balance.
The subjects Hannah chooses' to paint, provides her with an opportunity to find unique ways to present things that are more or less familiar.
She like exploring visual concepts of wetness, softness, and hardness without being too caught up in realism -- using somewhat relatable subject matter, such as rare birds or animal eyes, gives her more freedom to play with technique and precision.
Hannah has a rescue rabbit that lives in her studio and watches her paint. Her time outside of work is spent cooking, making cocktails, and exploring the city.
Artist Links: Website, Instagram, Facebook
HANNAH'S PICKS:
]]>"I’ve used so many different brands of materials over the years, from “affordable” to expensive, and I always go back to my Trekell brushes. From Spectrum to Opal to Legion to Golden Taklon, I can always manipulate each brush in exact and interesting ways.
I constantly use different types and hairs of brushes and Trekell’s collection of diverse brushes perform with a quality that I can feel as I paint. Not to mention, I am vegan and I appreciate they are all synthetic hair. Bottom line is, the products are fabulous and their customer service and care for artists’ need is like no other! I couldn’t be happier to be working with Trekell and be a Pro Team member."
Natalia Fabia, a graduate of the Art Center College of Design, began showing her art in group exhibitions around Los Angeles in the early 2000’s, establishing herself as a contender in the figurative painting arena.
Using her surroundings and life as a rich garden of inspirations, Fabia began making colorful, sultry scenes filled with people, lush environments, ornate fashion, light, interiors, glamour, graffiti, landscapes, punk rock music and an unapologetic sexiness entirely her own.
Fabia finds a genuine comfort and truth in the realness and imperfections within her subjects. She glorifies the individuality and unique aspects of her human figures. Hers is a colorful world celebrating the vibrant diversity and beauty of the life she lives and that exists around her.
Painting, she feels, exists to allow artists to create any world they want – make it, and make it yours. Infused with Fabia’s signature style, vividly saturated candy color palettes and a dazzling spectrum of light, her work is a combination of fantasy narratives and actual moments captured from the artist’s life.
Influenced by artists the likes of Henri Toulouse Lautrec, John William Waterhouse, John Singer Sargent, Rebecca Campbell, Lisa Yuskavage etc., plus fashion designers like Alexander McQueen, Fabia’s painterly studies in oil are marked by bold, determined strokes that offer depth and clarity. Having studied with many contemporary masters, her knowledge and understanding of the color palette underscore her ability to bring life and light to canvas.
Fabia has had multiple solo shows at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles. Her work has been featured in numerous galleries and art fairs including Jonathan Levine Gallery, NY , Zhou B Art Center in Chicago, IL, M Modern in Palm Springs and Sirona Gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, LA Art Show, Art Palm Beach International Art Fair, etc. Museum exhibits include Bristol Museum of Art, MXW Masterworks group exhibition at Long Beach Museum of Art, The Fort Wayne Museum of Art and Lancaster Museum of Art.
She has been featured in American Art Collector, Poets Artists, Juxtapoz, New York Arts magazine, Hi Fructose, Art Ltd., and Angeleno Magazine. Fabia was featured in LA Weekly’s 2010 People Issue as one of “LA’s 100” most fascinating people.Born in 1983, Natalia Fabia is of Polish descent and was raised in Southern California, where she graduated class of 2006 from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Fabia currently works from her studio in Orange County, CA.
Artist Links: Website, Instagram, Facebook
NATALIA'S PICKS:
Natalia Fabia 8 Piece Brush Set
]]>"For many years I bought brushes at art stores that lasted 1-2 paintings and frayed or fell apart. When I tried Trekell brushes, right away I could tell that the products were high quality.
The brushes held up through multiple paintings and held their tip for many paintings. Since then, I rarely use other brushes from other manufacturers as the quality is much higher with their products. I also love their panels and use them in all my work. In addition to the exceptional products, their customer service is top notch as well. I could not send a higher recommendation for their company and products!"
Todd M. Casey was born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts. His artistic education includes a BFA in Communication Design from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, Massachusetts.
After receiving his degree in 2001, he moved to New York City, where he worked as a Graphic Designer. He then moved to San Francisco to pursue a Masters in Animation at the Academy of Art.
While taking the foundation classes for his MFA, he found a true passion in painting, and returned to New York City to the studio of Jacob Collins at the Water Street Atelier and began his classical painting training in 2007. In 2010, he finished his studies and began teaching at the Guild Atelier in Brooklyn, New York.
Being raised in Massachusetts was most influential for Casey, as he loves history, and Colonial culture. He is inspired by the richness of vintage objects in historical cities, and enjoys incorporating antiquated narrative into his paintings. He also finds inspiration throughout his travels, and paints the myriad items he collects.
Casey’s work, touches on more than simplistic, rigid realism. There is a haunting, nearly literary quality to each frame. A feeling that subjects are viewed from behind rain-kissed, mottled glass; burnished by enigmatic candlelight— or brushed by the soft, hazy edges of a half-remembered dream. Works that are classically styled, but progressive in approach— fine, somber details, rendered with a clear, meticulous eye; and yet, somehow, subdued with a gentle, melancholic focus.
There is a definite purity to Casey’s paintings; the order and function of classical realist art— but equally, a plush, sentimental homage to emotive recollection. Casey paints images that are not constrained by the details of each subject’s frame; rather they emerge from their housing, passionate, contemplative, reverent, or regretful. Make no mistake, Casey’s work is more than line and brush stroke. It is a colorful tour through the very powerful emotions, surging through one man’s mind.
Drawing inspiration from classical art, historical literature, and personal experience; Casey imbues each piece with a love of both pragmatic, corporeal form, and storied, intentional function.
That is to say, every painting has a tale to tell; whether emergent from the viewer’s own perception, or brewed from the very deep well of introspective thought, the artist inculcates with each brush stroke. Subtlety, refined grace, meditation, and honesty— are the hallmarks of Todd Casey’s aesthetic.
His paintings have been honored with awards, several times in recent years. Most recently, he won first place 3 years in a row in the Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition, first place in oil painting from the Allied Artists of America, and first place in the Artists Magazine’s Annual Competition for Still Life in 2019.
His work can be found in collections throughout the United States; and exclusively on the East Coast, at Rehs Contemporary Gallery, in Midtown New York City.
He most recently wrote the book “The Art of Still Life: A Contemporary Guide to Classical Techniques, Composition, and Painting in Oils” which is published by Monacelli Press.
Casey lives in New York, with his wife, Gina. When he is not working in his home studio, or preparing for gallery events, he reads Joseph Campbell, Paulo Coelho and Eckhardt Tolle, watches Woody Allen movies— or toils in his garden, when the weather allows.
Artist Links: Instagram, Website, Facebook
TODD'S PICKS:
]]>"I am the worst brush mom. I'm not kidding. The WORST. I do this nifty thing where I paint 16 hours a day (pretty much till I pass out) and then completely forget my poor brushes and leave them sulking in water or with headfulls of paint. Discovering Trekell was a godsend.
Not only are their brushes incredibly priced (for brush destroyers like me) but the quality is SO great. They clean right up and with a little brush shampoo and a dip in the Trekell Brush Restorer, my brushes are right back to their sassy selves. I also LOVE the Cat's Tongue line - they are the perfect shape and resistance for everything I do! The Cat's Tongue and Golden Taklon make up about 90% of the brushes I use."
Mab Graves is a Contemporary Pop-Surrealist artist living and painting in a converted 1800’s tavern in a small corner of the dusty American Midwest. Born in August 1986, Mab’s passion for creation has been an overwhelming obsession since she could grip a crayon.
Mab is completely self-taught, but she began painting professionally in 2009 after retiring from a whirlwind career spree as a barista, a private nanny, a server, a florist, a bartender, a martial arts instructor, a receptionist, a bookshop clerk, and a hookah bar waitress. Mab's work is highly focused on storytelling and symbolism and she often spends months researching for her pieces before she ever picks up a brush.
Her work is deeply inspired by science, dinosaurs, natural history, 60’s space culture, fairy tales and old classic literature. When she's not painting, she is chasing around her little nephew or making teeny tiny things for her latest passion project: a 1/12 scale miniature Natural History Museum.
"I had always heard that if you make your passion your profession, you will eventually stop loving it. Making art was the most important part of me and I knew I would never risk losing that.
For years I was a secret artist. I’d carry a little sketchbook in my pocket and work in it every moment that was “mine”, but I never really showed it to people. The catalyst for me was in 2009 when I discovered painting. It was like I had been waiting and practicing for it my whole life. Suddenly, being an artist wasn’t something I could keep secret. It took over my every waking moment, and I couldn’t hold it in."
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, Website
MAB'S PICKS:
]]>"Trekell brushes provide the artist with the highest quality brushes at affordable prices. A rare combination in artist materials. A great brush collection for the serious artists."
My progression as an artist to contemporary realism evolved with my perception of the world and our human experiences in it. I began to sublimate my creative expression toward work of greater skill, precision in execution and clarity in thought. The subject matter of my still life, tromp l’ oeil and figures represent the complexity of an individual’s observation as well as a love and respect for nature and life. Some paintings are a visual play on words or ideas that are part of my experiences.
Other pieces reflect the simple beauty I may find in seemingly ordinary objects composed together, influences of color in nature or the splendor of the human form. In every piece that I create, I aspire for authenticity in subject, harmony of color and resonance of light and shadow. By painting from life and with meticulous detail, my hopes are that the viewer will observe my work as I observe life, with the impact and integrity of the large idea supported by the importance and intricacy of the smallest nuance.
Artist Links: Instagram, Facebook, Website
TONY'S PICKS:
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