Jonathan Beer @ Flowers Gallery, Chelsea, NYC

White Atelier I
oil on panel, 14"x24"
Jonathan Beer


WRC Illustration is taking a little break from Mexico and visiting the United States for the month of July.
And my calendar is already filled with more events than I can attend!

Right off the bat,  I attended an open reception on June 23rd for the
New York Academy of Art 5th Annual Summer Exhibition at Flowers Gallery in Chelsea. The work was super, a lot of human form and figure, a lot of beautiful craftsmanship. The whole collection was part paint, part pencil, part instillation, part big, part small, and part FRESH!

Featured in the show was a friend and colleague from SVA, Jonathan Beer.
He is currently taking masters classes at the New York Academy of Art, and had two pieces shown alongside new work by more than 50 established and emerging artists. The show selection was juried by Matthew Flowers, Carter Foster, and Julie Heffernan. Former jurists include Eric Fischl, Jenny Saville, Will Cotton,  and David Salle.

CONGRATULATIONS JON
The work will be up till August 6th, SO GO and SEE IT.
You won't be disappointed!!!

Steven Brodner's BICYCLE features WRC Illustration

This horrible story about the torture and murder of a young boy by his government out of Syria can be read here.

My image and text response has been featured on Steven Brodner's BICYCLE (website), as part of his ongoing Human Rights Art Project. 

WRC on stevebrodner.com

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HAMZA al-KHATIB

Every US president, starting with Richard Nixon and ending with Bill Clinton has paid Damascus, the capitol of Syria, an official state visit. This tradition came to an end with Bush the Lesser, the invention of the Axis of Evil, and the implementation of his doctrine. For Bush, problems in the middle east do not concern Israeli occupation of Arabic land, but stems from terrorism. And according to the Bush doctrine, terrorist groups are tied to petty Arabic despots, allowing them to continue oppression over their people. This of course continues the cycle that because these peoples are oppressed, terrorists are made and continue to attack targets.  Since democratic governments tend to be friendly to Israel and the west, the administration took action introducing and forcing “democracy” into the region, rather than help solve the occupation issues. The results of this of course have been a complete failure, simply furthering the tragedy and disaster befallen the Iraqi and Afghani peoples.

Now with Obama, the doctrine has shifted to one where the people of the middle east are allowed to elect any government they choose, just as long as the administration approves. If the US does not approve of the power, than sever penalizations and sanctions are made against the nation. So, is Syria a democracy according to the US western standards?

No.

Is this a good thing?

Yes.

Especially since it finally appears that evolution is growing from within the nation itself. The praying on frustrations of Arab youth, by both their own governments and governments abroad, seems to be sparking revolution across the region. The recent mutilation and murder of 13 year old, Hamza al-Khatib, by his own government, has only served to further move Syrian peoples against Bahsar al-Assad and his security forces. Socially, economically, educationally, and politically, the future promises progress for Syria, and Hamza al-Khatib is a symbol of that promise. Syria deserves a better future. And though true democracy is an unattainable ideal, the Arab world has already demanded that Libyan Colonel Moammar Qaddafi step down, along with Yemen’s Ali Saleh. It seems only a matter of time until popular demands against Bashar al-Assad reach the same intensity. To these young Syrian revolutionaries, I say the sky only is the limit. Peace between the Arabs and Israel is inevitable. Political progress, political modernization, more democracies, more freedoms, are inevitable. Even at this very moment, with mandates out of the ICC, and the coalitions in Brussels and Antalya, and the defections of Syrian troops, I believe we are witnessing the beginning of the end for al-Assad. My hope is that the leaderless Syrian uprising might find itself headed by a young, peaceful symbol who promises results previously unknown to the nation and to Arabia, as they continue to cultivate their Spring.

© WRC Illustration & Design 2011. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Hamza al-Khateeb, Tortured and Killed_ Thumbnails

Thumbnail sketches for a new illustration im thinking about. 

The story revolves around the horrible story out of Syria and a young boy 

that was killed by his government. 

You can read the story here.

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SOI Exhibition, The Museum of American Illustration, NYC

It feels good to be back in the grind !!!

I have just returned to Mexico City after a week in NYC and CT. I had a great visit, celebrating a piece featured this year in the 2011 Society of Illustrators Student Competition Exhibit. The piece selected comes form a series of 6 fine art objects as illustrated social critique, created under TM Davy during my final semester at SVA.

The Exhibition was super great, Fantastic art! Great opportunity to re-connect with old friends and meet the faces behind the blogs and websites that I stalk on a daily basis ;)

On a side note, it was super interesting to see so many pieces as digital prints, rather than physical art objects. Why?

Artists that gave my hair a rise and brought a tear to my eye where, Tran Nguyen, Y.N. Heller (aka Buster Broadway), Billy Norrby, and my friend Kyle Scott. Ya'll Ar' Sooo Good!!! Congrats Guys!!

Thank You to my friends and family who came out for the event. 

It was so fun sharing this with you.

Below are images from the event.

Peace and Luck from Below the Border 

wESLEY rYAN cLAPP

Exhibition Certificate

Featured Art

Marshall Arisman makes a guest appearance!

Gil Ashby is awarded Distinguished Educator in the Arts 

2011 Society of Illustrators Student Competition Exhibit

Advertising, Drawing, Illustration

2011

WRC Illustration will be featured this year in the 2011 Society of Illustrators Student Competition Exhibit in New York City. The piece selected comes form a series of 6 fine art objects as illustrated social critique, created under TM Davy during my final semester at SVA. It is an honor to have been selected for this show. The work will be on view at the Museum of American Illustration hosted by the Society of Illustrators in May.

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Art Object Selected for Exhibition by The Society of Illustrators

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Any Sex Will Do

Any Sex Will Do: 6 Art Objects

Fine Arts, Illustration, Writing

2010

A series of fine art images produced under T.M. Davy, SVA 2010

Intellectual Order as Exercise for Men of Rank and Fortune

A Mood of Highly Coloured Naturalism

Pleasure as a Serious Pursuit for the Unemployed

The Ideal Woman Must be a Mirror Reflection of Myself

Analytical Inquiry into the Principles of Taste

Men are Interested in Power
Women are more Interested in Service

Any Sex Will Do: The Process

Process: Concepts, Thumbnails, Sketches, and Comps produced for a series of fine art images produced under T.M. Davy, SVA 2010. "The Ideal Woman Must be a Mirror Reflection of Myself," one image from the collection, will be featured in the upcoming 2011 Society of Illustrators Student Competition Exhibit in New York City.

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