"Breach" + Female Persuasion Feature!

Hope everyone's April is off to a good start! Here is my newest collage, "Breach":

I'm always looking for more ways to incorporate male figures into the "Simulations" series, so I was eager to work on this concept I've had in my sketchbook for quite some time now. Much like my collage "Infringement", I spent several, (and I mean several) hours cutting out tiny branches from an old photo I shot of a dead tree. I was going for an eerie and ominous vibe...I believe it works especially well with the use of black and white images. The measurements of this collage are 15 in x 12 in.

Last week my collage "Hollow" was featured on Femalepersuasion.net. It's a virtual gallery focusing on "political and provocative female artists" so I am thrilled that they considered my work as such. It's a really fantastic site that features some pretty incredible work, so if you get a chance please visit {femalepersuasion.net}!

"Rooted 02" + 22 Magazine!

My question I have this week, as I always have at the end of every month, is where does the time go...?? Seriously, I never understood as a child why adults were always mourning about time passing by too quickly....until I graduated college. Now I feel as though it's going by too fast. Way, way too fast...But all lamenting aside, I finished another collage I'm pretty proud of!

The collage above titled "Rooted 02" is a continuation from a previous collage, "Rooted" (seen on my site). It is currently the biggest one I have completed at 17.6 in x 11.5 in. The figure in photo was shot on a white seamless to get a "clean" appearance, although I chose to work with a light amount of contrast in order to get a softer result. I can't wait to get this baby framed...(although I shudder to think about the cost).

I've been dying to get a feature on The 22 Magazine blog for a while now, so I was beyond thrilled when I got the email this week saying they would display my work on their blog. Just seeing the severely talented artists on their blog, (not to mention their online magazine!), is mind-blowing. Whether it's art, photography, poetry, video, etc., all the work featured on 22 Magazine is definitely worth checking out... {CLICK} for My Feature. {CLICK} for 22 Magazine.

I hope everyone has had a memorable March. Here's to even better days ahead in April!

"Hollow" + New Features!

For those who didn't already know, I recently updated my site with 12 new collages added to the "Simulations" series. You can see the entire series thus far at alexandrabellissimo.com. Here is a look at my first collage I completed in March titled, "Hollow" (seen below).

"Hollow" was constructed somewhat larger then I usually make my collages, at 14" x 11.6". The image of the cave was taken recently at Vasquez Rocks. The image above doesn't quite show the 3 dimensional structure of the the collage so I took these snapshots below to show how the opening to the cave has more depth than it appears (I apologize for the low res photos, they were taken from my iPhone).

It's always an incredible feeling to be able to see my work featured on so many great art blogs along with a plethora of amazing artists and designers. I was recently featured on MyModernMet.com again (see below) where I was interviewed by Alice Yoo on the progression on the Simulations series. Click HERE for My Modern Met interview.

I was thrilled to see my work featured on a blog based in Madrid called, "Area Visual" which focuses on art, design, ilustration, photography, advertising, urban culture, new trends of web and any creative form of aesthetic expression. Click HERE for Area Visual link.

I was also featured on "Cultureneering" which is this awesome in-your-face type of blog (visiting the blog is entertaining in itself because you can change the background image every time you refresh the page). Click HERE for Cultureneering link.

Lastly, I came across "The English Group", a blog based in the UK that acts as a visual scrapbook showcasing all kinds of graphic design, art, books, magazines, film and music, photography, portraits, fashion...etc. Click HERE for The English Group link.

"Surface - 02"

Because it has been a real challenge making collages with new and unique concepts at such a rapid rate (although I'm sure a few collages a month doesn't seem quite rapid?), I have also been doing several variations of past collages to contribute to the "Simulations" series. See "Surface - 02"below:

The collage featured above is the second photo which I have utilized moss to create a textured "surface" around the subject. It's fascinating to see how the moss appears more like fur or even mud on my skin, where the contrasting colors on the original definitely make the moss an easier first read.

As you can tell by the snapshot above, the collage (seen here compared to my coffee cup) is actually a lot smaller than the past couple of a collages I have completed....(it is roughly 5 x 7"). It's a lot more difficult adhering the tiny pieces to the collage at this size but I actually prefer the smaller size photos to the standard sizes I usually do (typically 8 x 10"). It becomes more of an intimate experience when the viewer has to really get close to the image in order to appreciate the details in the layering and textures.

And here is an snapshot of the end result...Yep, that's a lot of left over scraps. Quite a paper massacre, right?

First 2012 Post - New Collage!

Happy new year everyone! I wanted to post up my newest collage titled "Euphoria", which is my 7th collage that I have completed since November. When I eventually complete 10 collages total, (which I plan on doing so by next week) I will post them all onto my website, alexandrabellissimo.com and add them to the "Simulations" collage series. I'm looking forward to sprucing up my site for the new year!

I used my sister Madison as the model for "Euphoria". I reverted back to my old "tiling" technique for this collage because I wanted to create a juxtaposition between rigid cuts and layers with the soft subject matter in the photographs. If you can't tell by the scan above, the floating tile images are of dandelions. Lots and lots of dandelions.

I will keep everyone posted as to when the site gets updated!

New Collage, "Surface".

Here is my newest collage that I have completed, (and look! there's color!). I have to say, this is hands down the most FRUSTRATING collage I have done to date...Shooting my self-portrait with the green backdrop in my studio was cake. When it came to physically piecing it together it was extremely challenging. I was using different photographs of moss covered boulders with different focal points in order to create the appearance that layers of moss were wrapping around my face. It's difficult to see in the scan above, but there are at least 100 separate pieces of moss to make up the entire mass of it all. The entire collage took about 5-6 full days to complete.

So how many collages did I say I wanted to finish by 2011?......20?

Yikes..

Interview with Italian CONDE NAST!

I am absolutely thrilled to have been featured on the Italian CONDE NAST website (STYLE.it). When I was asked if I could be interviewed for the online magazine, I didn't hesitate for a moment to pounce on the opportunity!

CLICK HERE FOR INTERVIEW LINK

Although I am part Italian, I can not decipher a word of it (my last name aside). I tried converting the interview from Italian to English through Google Chrome, but there seemed to be several grammatical mistakes made through the translation. So I have posted the english translation of the original interview questions below:

HOW DID YOU BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER? WOULD YOU DEFINE YOURSELF SO?

I originally started pursuing my art career as an illustrator. When I was 17, I started experimenting with photography because, while I have always had an interest in all aspects of art, photography felt like a better fit for my creativity. As soon as I picked up a camera, I was fascinated by the challenge of creating art by working with what already exists in front of me. Since then, I’ve always tried to find creative ways of utilizing the medium to it’s full potential. Whether it’s through photo illustration or photo collaging, I enjoy the process of manipulating a photograph by constructing an image rather than simply snapping a photograph.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE AND WHY?

I was born and raised in Southern California and I am currently located in Los Angeles. Being close to family is important to me, and my familiarity with the area allows me to utilize a wide range of environments. I also find the variety of environments allow for a never ending source of inspiration.

EXPLAIN YOUR PICTURES TO A 5 YEAR OLD:

I combine the human form with nature in order to communicate a certain emotion or feeling.

WORST CRITICISM YOU EVER GOT?

Back when I was a student, an instructor told me that my work was, “almost interesting” while looking through my portfolio. It was extremely disheartening to hear at the time because I am always striving to make interesting and unique work.

WAS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER MAKE IT?

As an artist, I am constantly faced with the insecurity and doubt of creating meaningless work. Rather than let the insecurity restrain me, I use it as a motivation to push myself, and my creativity further time and time again.

BEST COMPLIMENT?

Whether I have my work displayed on the wall or inside my portfolio book, it is such a gratifying experience when a person spends more than a few moments studying a single piece. That shows me that I have created something that is not only aesthetically pleasing through use of details, but that it is also thought-provoking or even slightly confusing to the viewer. Anytime an individual feels a connection with my photography, or relates to the emotion I try to convey I feel is validation enough that I am in the right profession.