Surprise

Last week, I decided to go ATC and stay there for a while because I was dead bored at home. And I decided to go to Team Manila because I have nothing else to do except to wait for my Dad. I've never been in that part of ATC and I thanked myself for going up and exploring the inner wonders of ATC weeee. I went inside and the first word I mouthed was "OMG". I know, I know. It's a haven for creativity (in all its forms), photography and art lovers! I swear I wanted to kiss the ground the moment I entered the place. 

But the one thing that caught my eyes were the stacks of books about illustrations, street art, to name a few. 

Alex Pardee's Awful/Resilient was on top of the shelf and I freaked out because the cover looks great and everything about this book is JUST GREAT. I never heard of Pardee's art before but I was lucky enough to get familiarized with his art. I consider myself to be lucky when it comes to things like this. 

the said book cover

Alex Pardee is an illustrator, freelance artist, apparel designer and comics creator writer. I love the way he keeps his art grounded and very versatile. His pieces are of the same genre-influences include 1980s horror movies, pop art and graffiti. They're the same, but they're all different. And I think that's why I love artists like him. 

Check out his blog EyeSuckInk for more! (Also he and his girlfriend, Chloe, look so cute together woo).

If you're into pop surrealism art, Luke Chueh has got your back. He's got a way of making his pieces with a sense of Eastern style. Also because I love bears and other asian-like characters of the modernized sort mehehe. 

Yes, Luke Chueh designed the covert art of Fall Out Boy's Folie a Deux. Interesting, I know. Considering the fact that Fall Out Boy is my favorite band, yes. You can see the resemblance of the cover art to some of Chueh's pieces. It's like a signature.

Meanwhile, Camille Rose Garcia took a swerve into goth city. She produces paintings in a creepy, cartoony feel. With Walt Disney as one of her influences, she takes low brow art in a new, eccentric curve.

(Her paintings are so awesome heeee)

 Alice in Wonderland in an alternate imaginary universe

Audrey Kawasaki is a Los Angeles based painter known for her distinctive portrayals of young, adolescent women. I love how she paints directly on wood with oil & graphite. It's a very rare medium to use when painting, but at the same time, very original and exuberant. Also because we share the same name despite the fact that hers is spelled with an -ey while mine is spelled with an -ie. Hooray for female-artists-with-the-same-name-as-me-but-never-is-spelled-the-same-way! Hooray!

I don't really know how I stumbled upon these very creative artists but I think it all started when I googled Alex Pardee. All thanks to ATC's hidden wonders at the second floor. Cheers to these artists. 

Check them out!
Alex Pardee
Luke Chueh
Camille Rose Garcia
Audrey Kawasaki