Jan Szancer and Tomasz Setowski, only a randomness or not?

Since I saw the first paintings of Tomasz Setowski, one thought was going and going and going through my cranium (or skull will be better?) that I already once, in the past saw this kind of style somewhere, somehow. Every time I have looked on an image of one of his paintings I had a kind of déjà vu. The fact that I couldn't find what is was or who, made me in some way mad. But few days ago......I got it.....Eureka. The mysterious person from the past has been Jan Marcin Szancer. I have no idea of Tomasz Setowski would admit it or not but his style has lots in common with Jan Szancer. And there is 99% of certainty that he saw as a child the illustrations in books made by Szancer. Every polish child knew, knows and will know " Akademię Pana Kleksa" written by Jan Brzechwa and illustrated by Szancer ( Academy of Mr Blot). It is a magical book, one of the most charming, fantastic, humorous, imaginary and intelligent children books. Believe me, I am an expert in the literature, and I read all the most important children books from all over the world (some in original language edition – Dutch, German, English, Polish and Russian).Those books about Mr Blot (they are 3 books about Mr Blot) belong to the fantasy books.

Jan Marcin Szancer (November 12,1902–March 24, 1973) was a famous Polish illustrator. He studied at Kraków's Academy of Fine Arts, and later in France and Italy. Szancer illustrated more than 240 books. Most of those books are children's books but there were also some serious illustrations for adult's books. Szancer possessed unlimited imagination. His illustrations teach, amuse, build a vision of a magic world of imagination and give us a chance to escape into another universe.

Here some more of Szancer's illustrations.

Tomasz Setowski-the next exhibition.

Nadejscie wiosny - Tomasz Setowski ( the Arrival of the Spring)

For the 'lovers' of Tomasz Setowski's art, I have some new information.

The next his big exposition is in Dubai, in April. This is a great occasion to visit Dubai, the most hot and hip and sky-scraping place of this moment.

For those under us who are not exceptional rich but still would like to see the work of mr. Setkowski, I have a nice announcement. There is a great possibility in Poland to see his work and during the whole year round. Namely, in Częstochowa mr. Sętowski has own Gallery with his own paintings, of course. I am planning to be there at the end of May. I hope to see you there too.

Here the address, the name of the gallery and the phone/email.

Muzeum Wyobraźni - Galeria autorska Tomasza Sętowskiego
ul.Oławska 2
Częstochowa 42-200

tel: 034 366 66 28
email: muzeum_wyobrazni@O2.pl

Legendary Dragons and Fantasy Dragons

They are hundreds different kind of dragons. I had no idea that there are more dragon’s races and species than homo sapience’s races. They have different names, different ancestors, different background, created in different culture and different time; they look different, they behave different, they smell probably different too. They are dragons with four legs, with two legs, with wings, without wings, with long neck or short neck, good dragons and bad dragons.
My favourite species under dragons is probably “Sean Connery”- Draco from the Dragonheart. He is smart, he has sophisticated sense of humour, he is lovely, he is brave and he has a very seductive Scottish accent. :-)))
Back to the “Real” Dragons, to the mind topic of this post.
How many variety of dragons did I found till now?

Check this list:

• Fire dragon
• Water dragon
  
• Earth dragon
• Storm dragon
• Wyrm
• Wyvern
• Sea Serpent
  
• Hydra
• Lindwor
• Amphisbaena
  
• Amphitere
• Hatchling - Baby dragon in the egg
  
• Drake
  
• Naga
• Eastern Dragon ? (Chinese, Japanese – many of them water dragons, many of them without wings and don’t breath fire)
  
• Western Dragon (the one with four legs, long neck and batlike wings; with preference for a sheep, an ox or a human – consumed monthly; breath fire!)

They are probably hundreds of dragon’s names that I didn’t mention here. And by the way, a new species of dragons pop up all the time. Great exemplars are the two new dragons Betelgeuse and Mintaka that I created recently. They belong to the Dragon Civilisation called The Shepherds of Seven.

Here they are in the outer space and here can you find more images http://dragonfantasyart.com



And then they are the Legendary dragons like:

• Hydrus
• Dragon of St. George
• Drachenstein
• Bazyliszek or Basilik
  
• Beowulf
  
• Quetzalcoatl
• Apalala
• TiamatF
• Fafnir
• Smok Wawelski
• Sui-Riu
• T'ien Lung

Cheers to all these Dragons!

Shoji Tanaka and Surreal Art

Do you have any idea, even a fuzzy one, what you get if you mix together the spirit of Hieronymus Bosch's creations and the legacy of the medieval art plus the speck of Chagall's "world of dreams" plus Japanese background? No...........I haven't had any idea too.......till I found Shoji Tanaka.

Shoji Tanaka is a Japanese artist, genre Fantasy Art or maybe he will appreciate the name Fantastic Artist or Surreal Art (but I think he is not sensu stricto).

I have discovered (maybe I am wrong, please correct me if I am) that his paintings are hard to be found in galleries in Europe.

But there is something to see in USA, Main Street, Maroochy, Queensland. Never been there.

This year there is a great, great exhibition of Fantasy Art & Fantastic Art & Surreal Art in Japan, in Kyoto. Most of the Artist will be Japanese's artist. I would love to see it, I have been fascinated since 30 years by Japanese literature – incredible magical and beautiful.

I think it will be amazing to be there, but I am not sure how to accomplish it. The opening is today, the exhibition is open only one week and I still can't walk right after my foot-surgery in February..

Bye, bye Fantasy Art......

Shoji Tanaka

Draconia - Shoji Tanaka

Ukulele Orchestra of GB - Life on Mars

Life of Mars - Fantasy and Music..:-))

Surrealist Artist - Jaroslaw Kukowski

His name is Jaroslaw Kukowski and you should know about him. Why? Because he is a great artist.
He was born on 11 April 1972 in Tczew, Poland. In his paintings he deals with moral and social issues in a controversial manner. Early in his artistic career, his works, which were regarded as symbolic, were filled with drama and sadness. Full of pain, deformed human figures along with mystic creatures were depicted against the background of surrealistic landscapes. He defined this series of works as Undreams. During another period, he lightened his palette when he became interested in nudes; nevertheless, even there, a viewer can perceive the brand of disintegration and passing time. In another stage of his artistic career, he moved back to his early works, but despite fairer colouring, his work became more and more ironic and provocative. In 2001, some of his works were removed from an exhibition in The Gallery SD following complaints from some members of the audience.

Jaroslaw Kukowski is one of 50 Artists featured in the first publication entitled Metamorphosis.The best publication about contemporary Surreal & Fantastic Artists. You should have IT.