Jose Parla, Abstract Graffiti.

It’s been a while since we had an update but we’re in a great mood today. I was thinking about people who really inspire me and one of the guys who helped mold my style was Jose Parla. His grittiness mixed with elegance is so distinct yet universal that it would fit anywhere from a project building in the poorest neighborhood to a doctors office in the richest. He brings amazing texture with a dedication to the golden age of graffiti with a crazy hand style. Just check it out for yourself:

Peep this cut on Jose Parla from the greatness over at Upperplayground’s Walrus TV:

p.s.

If you can, find his book, I own it and it’s a great own. Very inspiring.

http://www.joseparla.com/

Urban Art by a Fine Art Artist, meet Michael Pukac.

I recently got an Email from someone out in California putting me onto an Artist by the name of Michael Pukac. Even though he has an extensive resume and some impressive Gallery showings I won’t lie, this was my first time hearing of him but right away I had an appreciation for his style and colors, plus his content is out there but very cool. It’s hard to come by someone who has a niche for Fine Art and actually uses it towards or geared by the Urban Culture mixed with Fantasy, for some reason the first thing that popped in my head was 2Pac mentioning “the rose that grew from concrete.” Overall, this guy has nice work and I really like the direction.

Be sure to check him out here: http://www.michaelpukac.com/

I love the DJ Series!

Swamburger, an all natural treat for Art lovers.

If you’re into Indy Hip Hop then I’m sure you’ve heard of Solillaquists of Sound. They had that great debut LP “As We Existed” a few years ago and just recently released their 2nd effort “No More Heroes” which is also a very good album, and more so better than what you’re probably listening to now. Anyway, If you heard of them then you heard of their Emcee Swamburger….but did you know besides being an emcee he’s also an artist and paints or draws every time he has a chance? Born in Chicago but now residing in Orlando you can see the unique mixture of City Life experiences in his style mixed with his animated personality, it’s like Urban Anime.

That’s some cool art, I wanted to buy the Street Cypher piece when I saw him working on it but like all his other work, it was sold before it was even completed. He’s like a natural creative spirit ready for marketing, musician and an artist.

On that note, check his Hip Hop group Solillaquists Of Sound’s new video for “New Sheriff In Town”

Oh, and true story…there’s a rumor he’s actually running for Mayor of Orlando next term. Don’t be surprised if you visit Orlando and catch people wearing those “Swamburger For Mayor” shirts.

Alex Pardee…crazy guy, great art, cube shaped head?

I won’t lie, I only first discovered Alex Pardee about 3 or 4 years ago as I was walking the mall. I walked past a store that had a shirt on display with a very weird cube head character and weird tentacle things throughout randomly…the text read “The Used.” Now I had no idea who or what “The Used” were or are at that point but thought it was a really cool shirt….for some reason I didn’t buy it though. A week passed and everyday I had that image of the cube head character haunting me but in a good way if that makes sense. Eventually my girlfriend got tired of me talking about it and made me buy it. Needless to say, one of the best purchases ever. I eventually did some research and came to learn of Alex Pardee, an artists who is probably crazier than the craziest person you know but can still function like a sane person. His colors are amazing, line work incredible, and characters are probably some of the most unique I’ve ever seen.  He is now one of our favorite artists here at Redefine and with that said we want to spread the goodness coming from his Zero Friends Venture. Don’t kill us for not knowing who he was at the time…everyone in the art community should be aware by now though.

And here’s a really cool thing he’s doing with a fellow artist of his’ Dave Correia. They’re actually driving around the Country trading sketches with anyone who draws a sketch for them…good or bad.

Check him out at www.EyeSuckInk.com

P.S. His work is so good that I called my brother in New York to tell him about the Alex Pardee Zero Friends Pop Up Shop at the Upper Playground store and he said he already went. Said his first thought was “I want to go home, gather all my money and buy every single piece in there.” To top it off, it was his very first time seeing anything by Alex Pardee.

Sandi Calistro’s Organic Fairy Tales.

From Denver Colorado, Sandi Calistro is the cool girl who’s a great tattoo artist that you wish you knew…ha. Her style seems to be a baby between Tara Mcpherson and Patrick Fatica, I doubt it’s on purpose but picture their baby growing up in an odd playfully weird world. Using wood texture as an ingredient for an organic backdrop it allows for her work to be taken in easily and just pop with untold fairy tales. Overall her style is amazing and we became fans instantly. Don’t get us wrong, even though there was a comparison to those other artists she does twist it in her own way and makes her own path, I mean who’s to say she even knows who they are. By the way, usually girls who paint and tattoo are naturally cooler than most people in general.

Yup, we told you so.

Check her work here:

http://sandicalistroart.com/home.html

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sandi-Calistro/1103781005#!/profile.php?id=1103781005&ref=ts

SOOOOOCKYYY CHOP! a way to Zombify Characters.

Meet Socky Chop, a really good friend to Redefine. We met Socky when he moved from Brooklyn to Orlando and walked into our shop,  apparently the good folks over at Queens NYC’s House Of Tees told him he should stop by when he moved. Since coming through we’ve done a few shows with him and out of all the Redefine Gallery show participants while we were open he’s sold the most pieces. He has a really unique twisted Disney style, like if discarded cartoons came back to life as Zombies and ran onto the set of Mickey’s latest movie. Something like that. Anyway, he has a relatively simple looking style which is constructed behind some hidden complex line work. He’s always experimenting with different styles and if he’s where he’s at now at the young age of 22 then imagine 10 years from now.

(Note: the picture below is of a wall that’s almost 10 feet high)

(Below’s a shirt commisioned by The Legendary DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop’s first Latino DJ)

visit him at:

http://sockychop.com/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/sockychop?ref=ts

Cherri Wood…A feminine touch on strong visuals

While browsing the web one day we ran into an extremely talented young lady who caught our eyes right away with her paintings and ink figured women, abstract backgrounds, and overall delicate touch on life via art. Some of her work is refreshingly rugged but with touches of femininity which shows beauty in front of abstraction, and other pieces are just general reflections on every persons feelings at one time or another. Throughout her pieces you’ll find words and phrases telling a story subtly and without overpowering steers you in her direction of thought. After attending Art School in Milwaukee she quickly started making a name for herself at the young age of 19/20, I’m sure if you’re into the art world you have either heard her name or have caught one of her shows on the west coast. Anyway, with that being said we just thought her style was really cool and different, we love splats, love women figures, and typography is always a plus…so check it out.

Be sure to check out her other work and lookout for that typography we mentioned, we only included a couple of pieces like that because we want you to do some research…ha. Peep her at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fysimone/

http://www.myspace.com/onedayinmygarden

Monstro…The Quiet Energetic Character

We got to meet Monstro a few months back while we had our “2 Guys a Girl and a Pooping Bird” art show in St Petersburg Florida’s Cafe Bohemia. He’s a quiet guy who you would never guess has a style filled with energy. I guess his Art says it all….random but cool. He has a very clean Animated style, painted Illustrations of playfully creative characters. Check it out:

Visit him here: Monstro’s Facebook Site

Christopher Umana, his work is for the birds…and you.

This is a guy who’s just straight talented, not much to say after looking at his pieces. His technique and presentation is very pleasing to the eye, you can tell he carefully chooses antique frames to compliment the overall aesthetics to the actual art. You can also tell his art work should be held with high regard along with appreciation even at the first glare, plus birds are really cool animals and if you sleep on his work one will peck you in the eye. Lets give a round of applause for Christopher Umana, an Artist currently living in Nevada who will sooner rather than later grab your attention.

Visit him at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christopher-Umana/56218653410

California Artist, Austin Blasingame.

Whether he’s painting in Orlando, California, Nicaragua, or anywhere else in the world, he’ll have you staring in amazement. Again, another artist we had the pleasure of becoming friends with a few years ago while he was staying in Orlando. This California native has some amazing color work and his overall painting & artistic skills are uncanny. Check out Austin Blasingame, if you’re in Orlando you might remember his run a couple of years ago with the B-Side Artist.

http://www.austinblasingame.com/index.php