Hard To Define Fantasy Art and Surreal Art (Part I)

Alone by Louloua Asgaraly

available for sale HERE

The wonderful thing about practicing art is that pieces or ideas evolve into artworks that are often hard to define or pigeon-hole. 

We are a group of fantasy artists who often straddle between fantasy art and surrealism. They are both alike in a lot of ways.

This is the definition of fantasy art (according to the Wikipedia definition):

It can be characterised by subject matter – which portrays non-realistic, mystical, mythical or folkloric subjects or events – and style, which is representational and naturalistic, rather than abstract - or in the case of magazine illustrations and similar, in the style of graphic novel art such as manga.

Fantasy has been an integral part of art since its beginnings,[2] but has been particularly important in mannerism, magic realist painting, romantic art, symbolism, surrealism and lowbrow. In French, the genre is called le fantastique, in English it is sometimes referred to as visionary art, grotesque art or mannerist art. It has had a deep and circular interaction with fantasy literature ...

... Fantastic art has traditionally been largely confined to painting and illustration, but since the 1970s has increasingly been found also in photography. Fantastic art explores fantasy, imagination, the dream state, the grotesque, visions and the uncanny,[2] as well as so-called "Goth" art.

This is the definition of surrealist art (according to the Wikipedia definition):

Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for its visual artworks and writings. The aim was to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality".[1][2][3] Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself.[4]

Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur ...

Our group of artists primarily practice both styles of art. 

Because many of the images in this post do not conform "exactly" to the subjects of fantasy art (or story-telling), per se, they are being featured to show that the "realm of fantasy art" is also often the realm of "surrealist art". 

At any rate, they are very creative, which is the point of art.

Here are some more images from the members of our group that fall into that category:

 Bananas by Marvin Blaine

available for sale HERE

Fantasia by Martina Rall

available for sale HERE

A Separate Reality by Jim Rehlin

available for sale HERE

Boating on Clouds by Martina Rall

available for sale HERE

Midnight Tale by Psycho Shadow

available for sale HERE

Treasure Chest by KaFra Art

available for sale HERE

Greek Gift Right by Melinda Dare Benfield

available for sale HERE

Harbinger of Light by Alice Chen

available for sale HERE

Alone in the Clouds by Louloua Asgaraly

available for sale HERE

Lady of the Lake by Susan Maxwell Schmidt

available for sale HERE

Texas Blue by Pamela Smale Williams

available for sale HERE

Don't forget that a lot of these images from our respective shops come on tote bags, pillows, greeting cards and other products. Here are just a few from our featured artists:

Bananas tote bag by Marvin Blaine

choose background color from drop-down (this one is #ddd092)

available for sale HERE

Treasure Chest shower curtain by KaFra Art

choose background color from drop-down (this one is #2e5d70)

available for sale HERE

(note: the Fine Art America watermark does not appear on products)

A Separate Reality phone case by Jim Rehlin

 choose background color from drop-down (this one is #a7c5e2)

available for sale HERE

click here for more unusual artworks from our group

our group home page

In the next post (part II) I will feature twelve more fantasy-surreal images.

See you then!

The Founder of Our Group: Solomon Barroa and His Art

Unique and Extraordinary by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

In his biography, Solomon Barroa states: "I am a digital artist currently focusing on surrealism, fantasy, and fractal abstract art."

Much of Mr. Barroa's work is statement-oriented as well, particularly when it comes to the human condition. Here is the perfect example:

The Disintegration of Human Values by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

About this piece, Solomon Barroa writes: "Human values can disintegrate due to factors such as technology and mental disorders. These values are rooted during periods of growth and development. Thus it can be modified, changed or disinherited upon age as environmental influences empowers an individual. The disintegrating figure in this surreal artwork represents or symbolizes human values."

Solomon Barroa has spent a lot of his time in the nursing profession and is a book author (many of which have 5-star reviews!). Follow the link to the Amazon page where you can find his books. At the end of his Amazon biography he states: "We are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge and ideas are developed from experience and perception about events and the environment."

Solomon has two separate shops. These include:
Solomon Barroa Art
Surreal Photo Manipulation

Here are some more of his fantasy and surreal art works:

Unexpected Ally by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

The Outside World by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Before the War by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

In Before War, he also has something philosophical to say about his piece:

War is a time where extreme power is exercised. Communities go into battle for rights and conquer. Killings and survival prevail. Such emotions also prevail among the affected either victorious or defeated. The knight and his lover in this fantasy photo manipulation exemplify such emotions.

Here are more of his pieces:

External Environment by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Dragon Flame by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Away From Civilization by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

The following art work depicting a lover's quarrel between two fantasy art figures is unique in concept, especially in our particular niche of art. His statement about the piece is:

Being in love can sometimes have conflicts and petty quarrels. It usually occurs in diverse relationships with cultural differences, incompatible lifestyle choices, hard personality, and other differences. The argument between two flying creatures in this artwork represents lover's quarrel.

Lover's Quarrel by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Some of his most prolific work includes those with stormy seas or with art that depicts something upsetting the water in some way. These are mostly in the category of surreal art images which we also feature on our group pages:

Breath of Fresh Air by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Stormy Weather by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Stormy Weather by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

No Way Out by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Recreational Activity by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

The following also depict water scenes, but they also cross into statement-oriented pieces, all good messages:

Life on Earth by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Going Back Home by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

We end this post with three more of Solomon's statement-oriented work:

Sense of Sight by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Future Idealism by Solomon Barroa

available for sale HERE

Solomon's shops:

Solomon Barroa Art

Surreal Photo Manipulation

Solomon Barroa on social media:

twitter

Google Plus

Linked-in

our fantasy art group

Thank you for reading. 

Lise Winne (writer and curator for post)

The Cutest Sweetest Fairies You Ever Saw Contest Winners and other outstanding works in the genre

Fairy Dust by Nicole Gelinas

available for sale HERE

FIRST PLACE

In this post, we feature the winners of the Fine Art America contest, The Cutest Sweetest Fairies You Ever Saw to contrast with our last contest (The Weirdest Most Bizarre Fantasy Art Creatures),  plus some other outstanding pieces.

The piece above is our first place contest winner, Nicole Gelinas from Joliette, Quebec, Canada (www.nicolegelinas.com).

Depicted is a little girl fairy with green wings and a wreath of flowers around her head, blowing fairy dust. This piece is from an original painting of watercolor on canvas. 

Here is how this piece can look if it is framed:

framed prints available HERE

choose size, type of frame and mat from drop-downs
this frame is VN4 under copper frames and the mat is manor white

Here is another:

again, framed prints available HERE

this frame is CLU5 under green frames with a manor white mat

Here is what this piece looks like as a pillow:

pillows available HERE

you can choose background colors from the drop-downs

This colored background is: ba89db

Here are our other winners:

Fairy Lite by Ali Oppy

available for sale HERE

SECOND PLACE

Fairy Princess by Brian Wallace

available for sale HERE

THIRD PLACE

June Breeze by Adam Long

available for sale HERE

HONORABLE MENTION

(for most inventive piece)

The next few pieces were part of the contest too. They were all towards the top of the heap of contest winners (and is it any wonder?):

The Wood Sprite by Daniel Eskridge

available for sale HERE

The Knight and the Fairy, also by Daniel Eskridge

available for sale HERE

Fairy of the Butterflies by Edelberto Cabrera

available for sale HERE

Tree Hug by Jutta Maria Pusl

available for sale HERE 

Rose Fairy by Ali Oppy

available for sale HERE

Imagine by K.S. Rankin

available for sale HERE

To see all of the artists who submitted to this contest, check it out HERE.

Our group page: Fantasy Art for the Home and Office

Thank you for visiting. Our next contest is called "Dragons" ... yes, just dragons. See you then!