In the gallery’s latest exhibit, The Dark Art Emporium presents the works of three artists – Rick “Dienzo” Blanco, Bob Doucette and Richard J. Frost. “Prone to Exaggeration” is an impressive collection of paintings that gives insight into the dark imaginings of each of its creators.
Rick “Dienzo” Blanco is a Los Angeles-based artist who has more than 20 years of experience in commercial art. He is also the V.P. Creative at Cartoon Network. Dienzo’s artistic side emerged at a young age and he has had a long-standing fascination with the macabre. His series of drawings depicted enigmatic Goth beauties that were quite stunning. I came away with a print of “Incantation,” a piece displaying a woman donning horns atop her head, looking out at the observer in a dreamy way.
Bob Doucette has done extensive work in theatre, puppetry and animation. Past projects he was involved in include Warner Bros. “Tiny Toon Adventures” and “Animaniacs.” He also creates fascinating dolls, many of which actress Demi Moore has collected. His style can be described as playfully peculiar. A couple of his pieces displayed popular Tim Burton characters – Lydia from “Beetlejuice” and Katrina Van Tassel of “Sleepy Hollow.” They were mesmerizing.
Richard J. Frost is another Los Angeles artist whose designs are inspired by faces as well as his own personal experiences. Frost’s website describes his artistic style best when it mentions a statement made by one of his critics interpreting his work as “Norman Rockwell meets the Twilight Zone.” A couple of my favorites by the artist were “Spooky” because it reminded me of an illustration that might accompany an Edgar Allan Poe poem and “Inner Demons,” which showcased a little girl with a snake for pigtails. In each of his works, there was a balance between humor and morbidity.
There was also something about the eyes in all the pieces that stood out to me. Some stared out wide-eyed, others bled, and some looked out longingly. It was a feature that tied the collection together nicely.
“Prone to Exaggeration” will be up for a limited time, so definitely check it out if you’re in Long Beach, California. I’ve hyperlinked each of the artists names above to their official websites. To see more of the artwork and even purchase pieces, visit The Dark Art Emporium official website.
It looks like a very interesting exhibit to view.
Indeed!
Fascinating exhibit, as have been all you’ve shown us, Jennifer,
What intrigues me, after the raw impact of the pieces themselves, is the sheer variety of styles each artist presents. A portrait captures the eye, then the imagination, leading to fascination. Until one spots its neighbor, then the frisson is off in a new direction.
Maybe “delight” isn’t the right word to describe such an exhibit, but these pictures inspire something similar. An ever-intensifying hypnosis, building to…an ecstasy of sorts?
Well chosen!
Thank you! Yes, the pieces are quite hypnotic.