RansomStone

etsy shop: RansomStone
listing: the fish and the trousers

RansomStone's ink and digital illustrations are curious surreal juxtapositions. All are clever and playful. The subtle body language in each piece gives this series depth. The awkward stance of the trousers in "the fish and the trousers" adds a true human element. "the fish and the trousers" is an especially mature work given the sense of depth implied by the steaming car in the distance. And how about that steam? It ties in nicely with the sweeping scales of the fish. What does it all mean? That's up to you to decide.

littlehalfhead

etsy shop: littlehalfhead
listing: Sinking-Original Artwork
artist: unknown

littlehalfhead sells monochromatic surrealistic original pen and ink drawings. My favorite of his current batch on etsy is "Sinking", because it's the most mysterious from my perspective. The horizon defines the representation of an environment setting suggesting the two spiraling forms are objects. Yet, there's a delicate vertical line dividing the space perhaps eluding to a before and after further puncuating the title, "Sinking" suggests that the form is, well sinking somehow. What the form exactly is and why it's sinking is up to the viewer to decide and I love that. It's a very curious work that I enjoy contemplating.

Other works in littlehalfhead's shop include menacing, yet exquisite insects, mechanical little half heads (reference to the etsy shop name), and chairs with mammothly lanky legs. All of which have a whispering minimalistic quality that is a nice contrast to the crazy, surreal subject matter.

michelleramin

etsy shop: michelleramin
listing: Chocolate Landscape
artist: Michelle Ramin

Ok, honestly, I'm not doing this on purpose. I'm not specifically seeking out art from Portland. It's pure coincidence that 33% (3 out of 9) of the art features on this blog thus far feature art from that city. I think that says a lot about the great art community that resides in Portland. Artist Michelle Ramin expresses her inspiring love for Portland in her etsy bio:

Hello! My name is Michelle and am a Portland, Oregon artist. I grew up in the comfortable rolling hills of Central Pennsylvania. About two years ago, I found myself wondering across the country in search of a creative muse. I came upon Portland and have yet to experience its equivalent anywhere else in the world. It's beautiful here! Every day I feel inspired and am constantly working on new and beautiful little pieces that reflect my every day environment.

A large majority of Michelle's etsy shop features landscape drawings. It's interesting to relate her love of Portland to her transcendental, otherworldly drawings. I call it quietly vibrant Surreal Pop. Consistently throughout, delicate horizontal lines shimmer across the horizon while crisp lines define the labyrinthine sky while falling from the sky. It's a uniquely curious exploration of the abundant natural beauty found in Oregon.