Leia Bell - 'I began my art career in the mid-1980s by selling crayon sketches door-to-door to my neighbors in Tennessee. Sadly, I spent all of these profits on pop rocks and pixy stix, but I was not discouraged. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer sometimes came back roller skating champion or Solid Gold Dancer, but somewhere thrown in on the side was always 'artist'.
Years later, I moved from Tennessee to Utah. I learned how to snowboard (well, sort of), went to many rock shows, and spent a lot of time at the University of Utah taking classes in Photography and Printmaking.'
http://www.leiabell.com



Tilly and The Wall poster



Weasel skate deck



Forbidden Romance art print



Los Angeles New Year's Eve

Sophie's Pick - I met Taylor Vieger (a Texas native) a couple of years ago during my stay in Los Angeles. I think that he is a really talented artist..
so, check out his website and get to know his art.
http://taylorvieger.com/



You - Vegot to Fight


Chupacabras


Breast and Blue Hair


World in Your Arms

Sexy Pick - the beautiful, colorful, sexy world of an italian artist Simone Legno, the creator of Tokidoki brand.
No sexy asian guys, though...
http://www.tokidoki.it/

Takashi Murakami - one of the most provocative and influential japanese artists (currently living in New York). He got a doctorate in Nihonga (a style of painting that has been made in accordance with Japanese traditional art), but gave it up focusing more on contemporary art influenced by anime or manga. That influenced him to create a new art movement called 'superflat'.
"The term is Murakami's own, his manifesto on the way various forms of graphic design, pop culture and fine arts are compressed -- flattened -- in Japan. The term also refers to the two-dimensionality of Japanese graphic art and animation, as well as to the shallow emptiness of its consumer culture. Murakami first used it to label an exhibition he organized for the PARCO department store museums in Tokyo and Nagoya."
Murakami is also known as a great businessman who runs his own production company - 'Kaikai Kiki LLC'. He openly admits that Bill Gates is one of his biggest influences and that he incorporated some ideas from Gates' book 'Speed of Thought' into his business.
So, it doesn't matter if you want to spend a couple of thousand dollars on one of his Louis Vuitton bags or just a buck on a key chain - he's got it all.
www.takashimurakami.com/



KaiKai Doll



My Lonesome Cowboy



Flower Ball



Kaikai With Moss

Jason Sho Green - (last week's 'sexy pick') based out of Seattle, a self-taught designer and illustrator with an engineering degree. He is actually having his show opening tomorrow in New York City. So, if you happen to be in the neighborhood, drop by and show him some love. But for those of you who are too far to enjoy free wine&vodka (and his art of course), here are some of my favourite pieces.
http://youyesyoudotnet.livejournal.com






Skinned Tight



Robot



Poser Pandas

Luke Chueh - born in Philadelphia, raised in Fresno, California, currently living in Los Angeles. He is a graphic designer, illustrator and painter. He is also the author of a zine dedicated to Intelligent Dance Music (IDM). One of his most popular creations is a cute yet masochistic panda bear, who seems to love the sight of his own cut limbs covered in blood.
http://www.lukechueh.com/


Roses Are Bled



The Queen is Dead



Me Play Joke



Possessed Toys

The Book of Bunny Suicides: Little Fluffy Rabbits Who Just Don't Want To Live Any More (2003) - this is a collection of black comedy cartoons drawn by Andy Riley. It became a bestseller in England and it was followed by a sequel in 2004 'The Return of Bunny Suicides'. You've got one or more white rabbits that are trying every possible way to end their lives. We don't know what's driving them to do this, but i have to admit that they're very inventive (sleeping pills or sticking their heads in the oven is just too boring for them).
I laugh out loud on almost every page!
More Bunny Suicides