Andrew Cotton

Frida

2023

Originally from North London, Andrew Cotton received his art education at the prestigious Central St. Martins School of Art in Holborn, London. His work is now found in galleries thr...

Gold & Despair is my adaptation of Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece "The Woman In Gold", also known as The Mona Lisa of Austria. Having admired the symbolic art of Klimt since my working days as a fine art restorer at Vienna’s prestigious Conservation Institute (Bundesdenkmalamt) in the 1980’s, I conceived the idea to recreate the jewel of his gilded period with an interpretive lens on the looming darkness of the Holocaust and World War II. As a native of Austria, Salzburg, I have developed an appreciation for Klimt’s art, and Art Nouveau in general. For the last thirty years, I have lived in New York City and worked as a fine art restorer, conservator, and painter as well as in the healing arts. Klimt had executed The Woman in Gold in the span of four years (1903-1907). My own creative process during 2014-2017, reflects my diligent care and thoroughness in rendering the original painting. In 2014, I started with the preparation of the canvas using Klimt’s original size of 54 x 54 inches (167 x 167 cm). For gesso, I used the traditional method of rabbit skin glue and chalk. For the painting, I used oil paints and genuine 23.5 karat gold in various shades, as well as silver leaves, to magnify the brilliant sheen of Klimt’s gold...

Amy Smith is a self-educated contemporary artist. Born in New Jersey, she moved to Los Angeles where she found inspiration, mentors, and support in the Street Art community. In her...

Amy Smith is a self-educated contemporary artist. Born in New Jersey, she moved to Los Angeles where she found inspiration, mentors, and support in the Street Art community. In her Collage Portrait Series, Amy Smith uses photography, and layers of hand cut stencils, and torn recycled fashion magazine pieces to simultaneously represent her love of fashion and her contempt for excessive consumerism. In addition, she showcases female portraits to empower and unify, creating a space to feel connected to oneself and to each other. Smith’s mixed media collages have been shown at Wallspace, Saatchi’s The Other Art Fair, La Art Fair to name a few and been part of auctions such as revered Julien’s Auctions...