Jonathan McBurnie aka ‘King of Nails’ is an Australian artist and writer who first came to our attention thanks to an introduction by fellow artist and our dear friend Ella Condon. We were immediately drawn to both Jonathan himself and his work as both are a perfect mix of high brow and pop-as-fuck.

Jonathan works with classic fine art tropes such as the landscape, the female nude and the portrait. Juxtaposed against the ephemera of popular culture – Objects such as children’s toys, fast cars and giant blow up animals. People such as Bob Dylan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackson Pollock and Ned Kelly. Fictional characters such as The Phantom and Batman. Everyday language and text forms such as signs, and pamphlets – to name but a few recurring tropes.

Put simply? All of Jonathan’s work is high technical, full of beautiful and varied linework, immediately eye catching and pulsating with eros. We just can’t get enough!

(Photo of Jonathan McBurnie below)

With Jonathan about to have his first career survey show in November this year, and making the initial steps into the designer toy world, now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his art, by reading the Art Talk interview below…

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Joy Ivill is an Australian artist who came to our attention due to her beautiful, fun and technically amazing embroidery. Works that are feminine, sexual, biographical, filled with humour whilst also being tough as nails – Our kinda art for sure.

Under Joy’s hands the act of sewing and embroidery is stripped from it’s historically utilitarian base – think grandma sewing jumpers, mom darning socks or even a young child sewing on Scouts Badges – and transformed into a mode of storytelling, of narrative, of personal catharsis. Tales of bad acid trips, world travels, ended relationships and childhood memories told via fabric and stitchwork.

(Photo below of some art by Joy)

With Joy currently gaining major momentum in the pop art, fine art and fashion worlds, now is the perfect time to get to know her, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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Monika Viktoria is an Australian artist, painter, designer and indie toy maker who recently debuted her very first designer toy – the Singing Bryophyte resin. Which was made in collaboration with UK based manufacturer ‘Made By Cooper’.

Like many designer toy fans and artists – hello Paul Kaiju – Monika first became exposed to the world of designer toys and customising thanks to Blythe. She has been working in the fine art and designer / custom toy and doll worlds for many years now, to much acclaim.

Monika grew up as a teenager in Australia with an absent father and sick mother, taking solace as a teenager in the digital world of Zelda, and the fantasy world of elves, archery, nature and general whimsy. Themes prevalent in Monika’s work to this day.

(Photo below of  some Bryophyte art by Monika)

So without further ado, now is the perfect time to find out more about Monika, her art and life, by reading the Art Talk interview below…

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Australian artist, designer and musician is the man behind ‘Masons of Kenya’ – a label producing all sorts of design, art, apparel and ephemera. From stickers, pins, patches to large neon signs. All imbued with Kane’s aesthetic mix of pop culture, the occult and general esoteric practices.

(Picture below of a large neon sign designed by Kane)

With Kane and ‘Masons of Kenya’ on the rise, now is the perfect time to get to know them both, by reading the Art Talk below…

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John Roderick Paine is an Australian artist, designer and animator who first came to our attention back in 2014 thanks to his amazing sticker designs. In the 3 years since then John has gotten married, gained major hype thanks to his work with the ‘Hashtag Burgers’ crew and continued making his epic art at a maddening pace.

(Picture below of a self portrait by John)

With John continuing to make inroads in the global art scene, now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his art by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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Rel Pham aka ‘Terhor’ is an Australian artist who has been making major waves in the local scene for a few years now. His work a unique mix of pop art, dada, graffiti and digital culture.

Gaining his start in the world of graff and street art Rel has since pivoted into predominately making fine art. On top of this, ‘Terhor’ recently teamed up with fellow Australian art star Zeke’s Lunchbox, Voltron style to form the new entity TeeZee. With TeeZee both Rel and Zeke remain separate, yet joined. Teaming up for murals, group shows and commercial releases such as apparel.

(Some digital art by Rel, below)

With Terhor’s style having recently evolved once again – per it’s usual 2 year or so cycle – now is the perfect time to get to know the future cyborg and his art, by reading the Art Talk below…

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Brooke Krumbeck aka ‘BK DIECI’ is an Australian artist creating ethereal colourful works – dreamy landscapes populated with strange monsters, plants, trees and nude human like creatures called Tittafants .

Her work hints at Australian classics such as James Gleeson (see the use of nudes in a psychedelic / surreal landscape), Norman Lindsay (see the use of simple effective lines) and May Gibbs (see the love for the Australian bush and incorporation of strange wonderful creatures) – all filtered through BK’s unique artistic vision.

(Picture below of BK getting her art on)

With BK currently making major waves in the Sydney scene, now is the perfect time to get to know her by reading the Art Talk interview below…

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The Soft Vinyl Sydney exhibition is the groundbreaking soft vinyl art toy show happening this weekend in Sydney, Australia. SVS is happening from the 21st and 22nd of January at the ‘Lord Gladstone’ pub in Sydney. Featuring over 30 artists from all over the world taking part. It will be a glorious sight to see. Weird monsters of all imaginable shapes, sizes forms and colors.

And… for the uninitiated soft vinyl is a subset of the general art toy scene. With the artists working in it making their own toys, doing customs of existing ones – or both. Sculptural pop art – to find out more about art toys and sofubi, check out the ‘Art Whore’ piece from last year: What Exactly Are Art Toys And How Can We Critique Them?.

So, with the SVS show happening in less than a week now is the perfect time to find out all about it, from the people involved, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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Ayla Whitney aka ‘Ayla the Caveman’ is an Australian born and based artist creating hyper colored art for the inner weirdo in all of us. She had her debut solo show back in 2015 and has been working on her art at a furious pace ever since – creating paintings, murals, prints, illustration and apparel. With all her work imbued with Ayla’s unique eye.

We stumbled upon her work when out wandering the streets of Redfern, Sydney recently… Popping out from a side alley was a huge hyper colored mural featuring a skull and a rainbow. It was classic, yet somehow different – a digital version is featured above. Just like Ayla.

With Ayla quickly building some major buzz, now is the time to get to know her, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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Recently, we have become intrigued with the rise of the controversial practice of home tattooing. The DIY / punk as fuck alternative to the increasingly bureaucratic world of standard studio work. Home tattooing is raw, dangerous and intimate – attributes we at Art Whore value in any art.

Well, instead of a mere rant, we at Art Whore are blessed to be able to call a recent home tattooist as a dear friend – Namely Beat. So we decided to visit Beat, witness some home tattooing explore the art further.

Read all about it, below…

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