And then the silence...

But only here on my blog... because I was busy as...

Painting live and in my studio (at home), in various shows and events and charities... so let me update you with some pictures so you can catch-up while I catch my breath... 


Let's start with Dali and this time the artists were invited to create a portrait of Dali. As Dali was often portrayed in the absurdest surroundings or poses, I always liked this portrait done by Irving Penn from 1947 where Salvador Dali is sitting on a rock.. waiting to strike an absurd pose perhaps and the picture is taken.

Symbolique Sans
48" x 48"
Mixed media on wood

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

But to honor his passion for symbolism I added the drawers with little secrets  like the elephants, an egg and an ant. One drawer I kept empty.... a small drawer where his heart would be... now empty but once filled.

The Son of Modern Man
18" x 24"
acrylics on Linen

And it didn't stop there as the surrealists were concerned.... I painted my version of the "Son of Man" by Magritte and re-named it " The Son of Modern man". I replaced the apple for a modern apple but by flipping the phone to show the viewer what this Son was looking at.. I realized I had to paint whatever it was up-side-down.


And I painted my version of A Velasquez: the portrait of The Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain, who I presented with a small problem of loading her phone with no outlet in sight... in 1653 a very common problem I presume. 

Margarita Teresa is not in charge
30" x 40"
Acrylics on canvas

 I also was invited to re-do a room at Macy's in Doral and that was pretty amazing to do... and it was a great opportunity to show my dogs and a cat paintings again. So I went full in including a few hand embellished pillows...

Yup... so far Live is good here in Miami and more to come.. like 2 shows just this week, a commission to finish and who knows what else comes my way.... until next time!

DALI & ME

Several weeks ago I was contacted by a curator with the question if I was interested in participating in an exhibition based on the work of Dali. Each artist would choose from a selection of prints by Dali and make their own interpretation of it. 

And before I even knew what pieces I could choose from, I already said yes. Do something based on a master's piece: NO BRAINER!

She send me a list of prints to choose from and soon enough one jumped out for me: A Flordali from 1969 named "Les Fruits Pomegranate" also known as "Pomegranate and Angel".

I started reading about the fruit and its symbolic meaning and found out that the pomegranate has been used throughout history and in almost every religion as a symbol of humanity's most fundamental beliefs and desires, including life and death, rebirth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity. Almost every aspect of the pomegranate has come to symbolize something . . . its shape, color, seeds, juice.

For instance the pomegranate is often seen in paintings and statues of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus as a symbol of resurrection and everlasting life.


Then I realized that, while drinking the juice often, I had never seen the inside of a pomegranate (yeah, I know...). So when I started to paint the actual pomegranate I used a "live model".

Little Angel and the Pomegranates (2015)
30" x 40"
Acrylics on Canvas
SOLD

I painted a little girl (a little angel) on a swing carried by Pomegranates with an open fruit next to her. I wanted to incorporate as much as the symbolism as possible without limiting myself to one meaning. True, my little angel has no wings but my mother would call me a little angel - when I was a little girl - in a more 
sarcastic way... so no wings.


At the gallery each interpretation piece was next to the Dali of the artists' choice and, I must admit, I was a little nervous to hang side by side with Dali.

The opening at MAC Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale was a success: The Little Angel sold!!

This and 32 more interpretations can be seen at MAC Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale until August 15. Show was put together and curated by Rochi Llaneza.

WALL BRAWL March 2015

I was invited to participate at the Wall Brawl Miami to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. For those of you who do not know what a Wall Brawl is: a contest between artists to create a piece of art within a very limited time frame of a few hours.
 
I had never done a Wall Brawl before and I was a little worried: 3 hours to paint a piece of 24" x 48"... I never done that.. well since my days at the Art Academy (little time to do homework so it was mandatory to be extremely fast). So needless to say I was nervous about it, not only because of the time frame but also because I was going to be painting next to (street) artists whose work I truly like.

photo credit: Alessandro Abate

So there I was... nervous, thrilled and did I say nervous at the same time. I set my things up and started painting like a mad woman...
And the 3 hours passed by like it was nothing and 3 hours of pure joy for me.. Not only had I fun painting the piece, I had some pretty nice encounters with the audience and it was a pleasure to see the other artists work develop during the event. 

The pieces were in a silent auction and people could bid on it all through the night and also vote for their favorite piece.
The bidding closed the moment the artists had to put down their spray cans/brushes... and all the pieces sold!!!

Photo credit: Mitchell Zachs

Including this little girl... and then The Hitman (my partner in all my crimes) came running to me and told me that they were calling my name... I won the Wall Brawl!!!

photo credit: Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida

 
My first Wall Brawl and I won my first trophy ever... and we all sold our pieces, making a sweet amount for the Ronald McDonald House charities!! 

Update on "Who's fooling Who?"

Together (an interpretation of a peaceful moment) and Little Cat Girl

In my previous post I wrote about the show "Who's fooling who?" curated by Jill Slaughter.

I was a little worried - stage fright if you want - if my work was up to par. Jill was selected the curator of the year 2014 by the New Miami Times and I know she pushes the artist with each of her shows.

We almost had a misunderstanding because I thought she meant that I was one of the artists in the main gallery with a part of a wall or one wall at best, but she choose me to be the artist with 3 walls in the main Gallery in Studio 18.  

Narrative by Jill Slaughter

Little Cat Girl (2015) - Little Captain America (2014) - Little Batman (2015)

Little Cat Girl 2015
24" x 20"
Acrylics on Boxed Wood

Now back in the studio and working on new pieces... for a new show.

2015 starts with a new show

First exposition of the New Year and a very important one for me: "Who's fooling Who? - an exploration of the deceptive" curated by Jill Slaughter at Studio 18 in Pembroke Pines.
It is always an honor for me to be in a show curated by Jill as she always adds the link to the community.

The exposition is about abuse - any kind of abuse in the family, in a war situation, bullying at schools - and how both the abuser and the abused take on different roles and not always the one we expect. There is so much more than meets the eye. 

I understand that as no other because my father was quite the unpredictable bully at home.. but outside as charming as can be: at home he was feared and outside he was loved and admired. It was a strange secret that could not be shared because people would not believe us.

Little Batman (2015)
14" x 18"
Acrylics on boxed wood

I chose to paint children as little superheroes.. dressed up and ready to change their world. I did not want to show them as victims but as creative little beings coping with the situation with imagination and hope. In one of the paintings I show the 3 little superheroes coming together in the dinner (after "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper) where they are safe... for a moment together. There are other pieces of my Proprietary Innocence Series included as they are a little "deceptive"..

This exposition is a group show in which the curator brought wonderful artists together like Erman, Yuhmi Collective, and Maria Mor, just to name a few.

Part of the proceeds the show will benefit "No more Tears" an organization which helps women and children suffering from domestic violence.

Below is a link to the article in the Sun-Sentinel about this exposition and that is always a cherry on top of the...

http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

Happy New Year!!

Fire works at the Binnenhof in The Hague

Happy New Year

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Buon Anno Nuovo
Feliz Año Nuevo
Bonne Année
feliz Ano Novo
С Новым Годом
明けましておめでとうございます
З Новим Роком
新年快乐
Glückliches Neues Jahr
Selamat Tahun Baru
नया साल मुबारक हो

Sretna Nova godina
Среќна Нова Година

Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος

Bon Fire in Scheveningen, The Netherlands 2014/2015
officially the largest one ever !!

Wherever you are, whatever you do, whatever you dream, whomever you love, whatever you create: Have a Great 2015!!

ART BASEL has begun....

Yesterday it actually started... the first events.. the first parties.. the first openings and expositions, and it will continue full blown for a week.

And I.. am showing in three shows:
A Little Brooklyn Water Tower at Elemental

Photo credit: Carol Gregoire

At Spectrum (one of the Satellite Shows in Miami - Midtown) with Life is Art :
2 collaboration pieces and my very own "Girl with the Robot Dog".

Now that last piece also made it into the Around Town Magazine under their Must See Art for Art Basel and this is what the curator Sebastian Laboureau has to say about it:

I am so happy with this, you have no idea.. little by little my hard work pays off.

At Spectrum I will also paint life on Thursday December 4... I have an idea what I will do.. but still a giant collaboration piece with 5 other artists.. it will be a challenge and fun!


Finally I am also showing 2 pieces at Midpoint in the show "North of Modern" curated by Joshua Kingston.
Here is one of them: My take on one of Goya's masterpieces but now with her own control

Dona Isabel and her Control

Yes, this year Art Basel started really well...

For all my fellow artists: street, cross-overs, outsiders, gallery-artists, etc. Have a great Baselton!!

Little Super Heroes

I have been working hard and I am pretty pleased with the result. 

First good news: I did 3 collaborations (each piece with another artist) and 2 have been chosen to be shown at Spectrum with "Art is Life" during Art Basel.... do I will not show you these yet.. come to Miami in December. Also the Girl with the Robot Dog was selected, so imagine the enormous smile on my face when I heard this.

After finishing the above collaboration, I did a collaboration with a local artist called Registered Artist for his solo show "With a little help of my friends". All the pieces in the show are - yes you guessed it - collaborations between him and another artist. We made a piece titled "Little Big Batman".

Little Big Batman
20" x 20"
Mixed Media

Then I was invited to participate in a pop-up show (yes, the one you set-up, show and break-down in one day) in Downtown Miami and liking my little batman as much as I did, I decided to make two more super heroes.

Little Captain America
14" x 18"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Little Super Girl
18" x 14"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Finally I also painted a little piece for that same pop-up which was sold within hours after hanging... and let me tell you it is a great feeling to see someone look at your work and falling in love with it.

The Little Girl with the Curly Hair
9" x 12"
Acrylics on 300 Lbs Cold Pressed Water Color Paper

And I a back in the studio.. working on new pieces... perhaps more super heroes... soon you will know.

2 gone and 1 commission

Just another Friday... I received a message of a brand new facebook friend who asked me if it was ok to come to my studio and see my work this Friday. 
Of course it is... I actually love that - seeing people outside the Art Walks because it is much more relaxed. 

I was painting when he and his partner walked in, they looked around and we started talking... and soon enough it became clear to me that they were collectors and owning a gallery. They contacted me because of a very dear friend of mine (and major fan of my work) who recommended me to them... So there I am wrapping my head around it - because I actually didn't see that coming at all - and in the meanwhile they start happily shopping among my pieces.

The result is: 2 pieces sold, 1 commission and possibly a contract for shows in the Middle East.

Little M 11
aka Little Charlie
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little Andy with  Bananas
9" x 12"
Acrylics and Resin Coating on Italian Poplar Wood Panel

What can I say other than... Just another Friday but a pretty AMAZING one.

Little M's leave the State

The following 4 Little M's I made for a very special show: OPEN, the openings exhibition of the Trespass Gallery in Clarksville, Tennessee.

I had to make them special for the show as the ones that I had planned for the show all sold before I could send them to the gallery. So suddenly I had this new super tight deadline. But I kicked ass and created 4 Little M's who are now at the Gallery.

Little M 7
aka Little Carmen M
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 8
aka The Hitman Too
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M9
aka OOPS
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 10
aka Cheering the Stars
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

To see the Little M's and other great pieces, please contact:

Trespass Gallery

110 Franklin Street, Suite 202

Clarksville, Tennessee 37040

(305) 915-7819

Little M's to start the New Year with a smile...

Here are some of the latest M's which are currently for sale in my studio... 

They are all part of the series "Proprietary Innocence and to see all the pieces from that series, click on the following link

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.144431802409924.1073741831.139503036236134&type=3 

Little M 2

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

 

Little M 3

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 4

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

 

Little M 5

6"x8" 

Acrylics on Italian Poplar Wood

End of 2013

In my last show of the year I saw my name in lights!!!

In the last week of 2013 I started and finished the first of a mini series of MINIONS!

Yes, on the very last possible Sunday of 2013 this online Magazine writes about my very first Art Walk in Miami in 2014!

dominicanaenmiami.com - Monique Lassooij expondrá en el primer Downtown Walk de 2014


Now that is kicking ass!!!! :)

Honorable Mention

I participated in the Annual Juried International Competition by Irresversible Magazine and I won a Honorable Mention!!!!

All the winners are showing their pieces at Gallery 2014 in Hollywood, Florida and the artists are from all over the world. 

To put the cherry on the cake: all my 6 pieces showing are already pre-sold!! 

So yes, I am glowing and smiling...

Busy, busy... and it only gets more busy...

Yes, I have been busy but all my hard work is paying off... 

First I finished "Little Adam and Little Eve". I painted them just at the precise point where God is asking "What are you doing". Adam has just handed back the apple and tries to look like it has nothing to do with him.... If Adam could, he would have "unfriended" Eve on the spot. Eve knows she will get the blame and the snake is slithering away from the scene...

 Little Adam & Little Eve

2 x 9" x 12"

Acrylics and Resin Coating on Italian Gesso Panels

I am also starting to create 6 new panels (each 9" x 12") for the Art Fair in Mexico City in October 2013 and also will have to start to paint a few new panels for Art Basel as I am in one of the Satellite Show in the Intercontinental Hotel. 

And yesterday Miami Art Scene did a little write up about me and put it all over the social network/media... 

To see the write-up, click HERE.

As I said, I am busy... but in a very, very good way!!

MUGSHOT.... and then some...

 

What do you do when you get into the studio as an artist and you bring your new mugs with you.. Not just any mugs, but mugs with your artwork on it. Simple, you get 2 other artists and have one take a MUGSHOT.

And today I am the Featured Artist on The Artistic Blog.

Yes... I am having a great day!!

Artist Profile - in Soul of Miami.

Sometimes life can take a strange turn, surprises come on your path and sometimes they are great. Just like the other day when I was asked if  "they" could do a profile on me. Now I do know the people of the Soul of Miami and I love what they are doing, so I didn't think twice and said yes!!

and this is the result of me agreeing:

http://www.soulofmiami.org/2013/07/29/local-artist-profiles-monique-lassooij-2/

And if you could see my smile now... I think I will keep it for a while.

I was also busy working on some new additions to the series "Proprietary Innocence" and here are some of my new paintings :

 Little Mona

11" x 14"

Acrylics and Resin on Italian Gesso Panel

Little Jimi

11" x 14"

Acrylics and Resin on Italian Gesso Panel

Little Frida

8" x 10"

Acrylics and Resin on Italian Gesso Panel

And I just started to paint Little Janis Joplin  and sketched Little Kurt Cobain... yes, more to come...

DOGS ... Nine, Ten, Eleven....

After the 2 plates that I made for "Art That Feeds" I wanted to paint the little French Bulldog one more time and also two small commissioned pieces 

 

 

 

The French Bulldog

12" x 12"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

Pom Pop (Commission)

10" x 10"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

The Boston Terrier

12" x 12"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

And now I will start another commissioned piece which will be a Cairn Terrier named Joda.