Thread: Featured Weekly Artist: For Daily Lucid Inspiration

Starting out with one of my favorite surreal/magic realism artists!

With the intrigue of an M.C. Escher drawing and the richness of a Chris Van Allsburg painting, renowned Canadian artist Rob Gonsalves depicts that time between sleep and wakefulness, creating a breathtaking, visual exploration of imagination and possibility that encourages us to think past the boundaries of everyday life, and see the possibilities beyond.

His imagery invites the viewer to move past reality into a somewhat surreal depiction of what fantasy and imagination could be. Although Gonsalves' work may appear to be surrealistic, it differs in that the images are deliberately planned and result from conscious thought. Ideas are largely generated by the external world and involve recognizable human activities, using carefully planned illusionist devices. Gonsalves injects a sense of magic into realistic scenes. As a result, the term "magic realism" describes his work accurately. His work is an attempt to represent human beings' desire to believe in the impossible.

On The Upswing


Carved In Stone


Bedtime Aviation


Tributaries


Still Waters


Sun Sets Sail


Written World


White Blanket


Ladies of the Lake


Here Comes the Flood


Chess Master


Tree House in Autumn


Autumn Architecture


Astral Projection


Pulling Strings


The Performer


Cold Comfort


Acrobatic Engineering


Unfinished Puzzle


Time Pieces


The Woods Within


Castle on the Cliff


In Search Of Sea


Flight Plan


Listening Fields


Making Waves


Medieval Moonlight


The Mosaic Moat


High Park Pickets


Dolls Dreamhouse


For the Birds


The Dancing Wind


Flood Fences


Hopefully you've enjoyed this artist as much as I do.

Welcome to the second week! I wanted to switch things up from the magic realism/surrealist paintings and focus on a photographer whose work I have admired for awhile now. (plus I'm convinced he must be a lucid dreamer)

There isn't much I can say about the photography of Gilad Benari, other than...it is simply magical. What's more is that many of his themes are dreaming related, and each of his pieces has a beautiful description and poem as well...which makes his art a true experience rather than just a pretty image.

I hope you can appreciate his amazing skill using photographic developing techniques in the dark room, rather than photoshop to make his photographs simply spectacular. I urge you to visit his gallery on Deviant Art to see his full collection. Deviant Art Gallery

Enjoy.

Gilad Benari: www.giladbenari.com


**PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE THUMBNAILS TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN BEAUTIFUL FULL SIZE!!**

Walking on Clouds


"Walking on a thin line
But feeling on top of the world
My legs get lighter in touch
My head is full of thoughts of you

Love is not a pocket full of dreams
Love is a never-ending journey
It's only when I think of you
That I find myself walking on clouds"


A Place To Dream


"You need a rest
You need a good word
You need a dream
Relax.

Your world is restricted by your ability to dream
Find your place to dream.
It never ends here.
This is only the beginning."


Out of My Mind


"When
The voices pound the urban pump
The sky is cloudy with the industrial exhale
The streets are crowded with too much dead time
The tempo of this human race is pressing my heart

Then I
Take my time and step out of my mind
Take a walk to my haven, my hidden paradise
Where the city always sleeps and my dreams awake
Where I can hide behind walls of imagination and go free"


Out of the Woods


"Stretching my mind
Leaving behind
Where I used to hide
Where I was born
And where I died"


Bitter End


"It started out just like every other day, but some far empire decided this is D day
The world began changing right in front of my eyes. What use to be life, crawled up and died
I'm an angel, but now I'm unable to fly, watching the ground, this tree, the sky.
I'm fighting for air, while loosing my faith, climbing back to the sky, and crashing through space

The breakdown has started with this tear in my wings, but the restoration is near, and will begin with only four things. The ground, a tree and sky, and a powerful spirit simply fighting to fly."


Imaginary World


"I see myself floating on a cloud
watching life passing in slow motion
My problems are nothing but
little black dots fading into the white future

Deep inside my paradise I see me
sitting surrounded by splendor and beauty
Colors of the surreal are painting my mind
hypnotized by the thoughts of nothing at all

In my imaginary world
life around me is brilliant
All light, life and love
Everything is perfect, but me"


Thoughts of You


"I've been thinking
I've been crying
I've been trying
To get over you

I've been blue"


Solitude


"In a pocket full of silence
Where I grow into deep, into me
I take with me the thought Of you
In the times when I had better things to do

In a place where my tears grow trees
In a space left only for my fears
Am I where my cry makes no sound
Or is it that there is no one left to hear

In solitude I grow
Old"


Woodoo Master


"I am so proud and happy with this photo. I saw this tree near "Birkat Ram" in the Golan heights (Up north of Israel) and I almost drove pass it when I suddenly understood what it looked like. It wasn't easy getting the right angle, and I feel that this photo is one of my bests. Besides, It reminds me of "lord of the rings"..."


Hot Day, Cold Night


"There is a certain moment
When the day turns into night
That you experience a little of both
A hot day, and a cold night"


A Silce of Life


"Life is rushing to make up on lost time
I have to stop and catch my breath
Move to the stands and catch a good sit
Take some time to look around
Get myself a slice of life
Just so I can stay sane
Going through my life"


On the Streets of Marseilles


"The hungry for love go where the sun always sets
The thirsty for success drink from the river of dreams
The lost souls roam endlessly the streets of Marseilles
Waiting for someone to bring them hunger and thirst
Meanwhile, a lonely dog is guarding the streets of Marseilles
Barking at the naked pavement and heavy sky above
Hoping it will bring the rain and wash out another day
Suddenly, a feeling of hunger, a feeling of thirst...
On the streets of Marseilles"


User Manual to Life


"The user manual to life is a book full of things that life proves to be wrong. No matter what you write in it, life shows you that you know nothing. Actually, the manual should say just one thing - The truth waits for you at the end of the road, when you know what you have seen to be true for you, and even that is false."


Swamp Forrest


"A place you come to get away
Away from the city, the people, the pain
To wash away the thoughts of what you know
A place you find the power to grow
A small island of sanity where nothing makes sense
You need to escape to your swamp forest
And find what you never lost

Yourself"


Waking Out of a Dream


"I was running all night
I was in this castle and I was lost
Running up and down and out of my mind
Till I finally found my way
And now I'm walking out of a dream
Waking into today."


Dark Clouds Ahead


"Bad days to come
And there is nowhere to go
I will be stairing at the sun
In the days I will never know.

Don't be fooled by these quiet times
It is the noise of a dying heart
A storm is coming soon
Be sure I will play my part

Bad days to come
Dark clouds ahead
Soon I'll stop loving you
Soon I will be dead."


The Saint Year


"Little Balerina
Stays out of the pack
Lonely little dancer
Says a little prayer each day"


Stepping Out


"Going up or dropping down
living inside the never ending lines
Waking up to yesterday all over again
I think this is time for me to be stepping out"


Into Infinity


"Long way to go
If you run through it..
It will be over quickly
And wouldn't that be a shame?"


Coming Out of the Tunnel


"Years of living in the dark are soon to be over
The people that never understood me
The arguments I never knew how to end
The love I never knew how to get
I'm coming out of the tunnel
And entering the rest of my life"


The Walk Back Home


"I found my sanity
On the walk back home

The storm made me think
But I wasn't thinking of the good in my life
I was thinking of how rough life can be
And I didn't think about you.
About you and me

Walking back home
Thinking of you smiling face
Thinking of your delicate hug around my back
Thinking of how much I love your shelter from my storm
I found my sanity on the walk back home"


Out of Reach


"Let the wind freeze my face muscles
Let my thoughts run faster than me
Let the night take over the eye sight
Let myself get lost, get out of reach"


Lost In Translation


"Getting restless and clueless at the same time
The world is shallow and I'm in to deep
Lost in translation and nowhere to guide me
I seek for answers within myself
But I have no idea what are the questions

Paradise can be a strange place
When you have no idea you are there
Alone. Lost in translation"


Never Forget Your Past


"It's easy to forget where you came from
It's easy leaving you past behind
But your future is the outcome of your past
If you embrace your past you can control your future"


A Date With a Dream


"One day I'll wake up in my sleep
That would be my date with a dream
The world will be my playground
The birds will be my friends
Time will never end

One day I'll wake up in my sleep
No television, no walls, no small talk
No sound but my jiggles and small footsteps
And a light breeze of wind rushing through my kite
Time will never end

One day I'll wake up in my sleep
That would be my date with a dream
After a while I'll get tired and sit to rest
I'll put my head to rest on the grass
And wake up to my sleep

One day I'll wake up in my sleep
And sleep until I wake up
After my date with a dream"


Waiting for the Wind of Change


"Everything is still
It seems reality is here to stay
Maybe this is as good as it will get
But maybe our spirit is enough to make the difference

Still, here we are
Waiting for the wind of change"


I Can Still Remember


"I have a few scratched memories of our time together
The phone call that ended so suddenly
You smell stepping out of the bathroom
The giggle you made when I said I love you

I can still remember the weekend we slept outside
The empty field in the middle of autumn
Our backs against the green grass
Your smile blends into the red windflowers

I can still remember that I loved you
But I can't remember why
My head is filled with short sounds of your voice
But it's the echoes that drives me crazy"


Creating Your Own Path


"You say nothing ever goes your way
So you look for help and start to pray
How about creating your own path today
If you follow your light it will show you the way"


Date With a Dream


"No matter who you are
You are in for a special date tonight
A date with a dream, no matter what is your dream
The sky is waiting to grant you a wish, a love wish
Go and make your dream come true, even if it's only for one date"


Thanks for viewing.

One of the most important things I look for in an artist, is uniqueness. Not only their ability to create a beautiful image, but also to create a beautiful expression of their own creativity and imagination.

The art of Pete Revonkorpi, aka Pesare, an extremely talented artist from Finland, has an unmistakable knack for capturing that wistful beauty, the surrealism of a dream, the world seen through the eyes of a child, and a magic that I believe we can all relate to...a magic that awaits us...in our dreams.

And if you want a little more insight into the brilliant mind of this artist, I suggest you visit his deviant art page and read through his journal entries, which are full of beautiful childlike tales...far from anything I've ever seen in another artist's journal on Deviant Art. He is a truly unique and gifted individual!

Pesare: Deviant Art Gallery

I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do. =)

**Please click thumbnails for full view

A Sea


"...for the ones who can't swim."


Our Town


"Urban Jungle"


Winter Garden



Neighbors


"Mr. Waenerberg, who lives in the paler building,
says he enjoys tea, but doesn't really like it's taste.
He has a lot of books that have titles like "Where is Here?" and "The Beginning and The End of The Dot", and they have absolutely no pictures in them.

Erasmus, who lives in the darker building,
doesn't have a last name. He says he dropped it on a windy day
and has never seen it since.
He has never read a book in his life, but writes poetry because he likes the sound
the pen makes when it scrapes the paper."


Bedridden



Going to Sleep


"...is like taking a very long trip."


The Winter Bears


"Sometimes, but not too often, it happens
that a bear or two wakes up during the winter
and cannot get back to sleep...

So they quietly crawl out of their dens
and gather around a warm fire
where they tell each others stories
of the past summer."


Starfisher


"When I was a child
the stars were so close
that just by reaching a little
I could have picked them in my pocket.

Over the years
the stars have moved further
and further
away..."


A Cup of Tea with a Monster



Once Upon An Autumn Night


"The summer is over..."


Daddy, Bring Me the Moon



The Sandcastle



The Falling Leafs Girl



The Dreamcatcher



Just a Dream



The Good Night Field



Underground



Secret Meeting


"...or a meeting with a secret."


Together



Dr. Sofos


"After seven hours of investigation
Dr. Sofos decided
that this creature was real,
and that he should probably say hello."


The Old Caterpillar


"...who never turned
into a butterfly."


The Little Reader


"The title on the book is "Lintu kirja",
it means "a book about birds" or
"a bird book"


The Land of the Lonely


"This is for all of those who have to spend their christmas alone."


Stairs



Umbrella Field



The City of Dreamers



Grown Up



Lighter Than Air



Silent Audience



Waiting for Winter


"Month ago we had snow
then it all melted, and now
I'm waiting for the second first snow..."


The Flying Home



Dream Walker



Under the Sea



First Date



Mooncatcher



Lost


"If you walk too far
alone
the forest might get lost in you"


Waiting...


"...for the winter...

...for another troll
under another mushroom...

...for the rain to end...

...or maybe just for another drop
to drop..."


A Bow



Dreams of Flying



Sleeper



Traveling Through the Night


"This is something that happened to me often as a child..."


Sleeping Peacefully

**PLEASE CLICK IMAGE THUMBNAILS FOR FULL SIZE (these paintings are very large with much much detail that should not be missed!)

This artist has so many amazing paintings I really didn't know where to start. Here are just a few of the many gorgeous digital paintings of Vitaly S Alexius, I encourage you to view his entire gallery at:

Deviant Art:Alexiuss Gallery
Homepage: Vitaly S Alexius


Tree Hugger



Halycon Falls



Cimmerian Tide



Acrimony



Praetorian



Desolation



Chronoscape - Thundersnow



Inherited Hell



Antonymic Cylone



Anamnesis of Estivation



Solaris Autumn



Modern Magic



Aeons of Eclipse



Adamant Citadel



Smog



Consolidation



Deliverance of Amity



Gabriel



Amber Citadel



A Proposition



Nova Convergence

Neo-Surrealism of George Grie
Gallery & Prints

What is Neo-Surrealism?

Definition: Neo-Surrealism or Neosurrealism is the term that has been given to the reappearance of the famous surrealism art movement in the late 1970s. Initially, the movement focused on relating surrealist art with pop-art, but lately modern surreal artists have been exploring other directions within the present movement. For a long time Neosurrealism was called modern surrealism art due to a noticeable visual similarity of these two fine-art movements. However, the main difference between two styles is that Neosurrealism does not have the original idea of freedom from rational controls or psychic automatism declared by Andr Breton, in his Manifestoes of Surrealism. Neosurrealism is a combined imagery of dreams and fantasies or subconscious mind visions in fine-art painting, digital-art graphic, and photography. Modern computer technologies brought tons of additional depicting power to contemporary artists. Neosurrealism does not have a particular founder or group. The movement is still not clearly defined, but it develops rapidly adding more professional and amateur art enthusiasts every day. There are thousands contemporary surrealism artists, digital and classic fine art media galleries, who create neo-surrealistic, surreal fantasy, and gothic fantasy art realism pictures comparable to Neosurrealism.

**Please click on the image thumbnails to view the full size artwork!

The Sand Castle


Sudden Cardiac Death


Infinite Probability Drive


Flying Dutchman Phantom


Final Frontier Voyager (Flat Earth Society)


Angels and Demons


Haunting Goth


Panic Attack or Anxiety (PTSD)


The Three Graces


Ghost Ship Series: Full Moon Rising


Dreams of Flying or Sleep Paralysis


The Way Out or Suicidal Ideation


Ghost Ship Series: the Lost Expedition


Dehydration


Ice Age Premonition


Mindscape


Dissociative Identity Disorder


White Castle or Voluntary Incarceration


The Island of Lost Hopes


Morning Fog


Insomnia or Nocturnal Awakening


Going Towards the Light


Dusk Endeavors or Dream Chess


Habitat for Humanity


Mermaid Syndrome


The Immortals Society

Fantasy Worlds & Landscapes of Polish Painter Jacek Yerka

JUST AWESOME

I could stare at them for hours like this..........

**Thread closed**


Look for a new thread shortly, as this is on my task list.