Robert Vickrey

Artist: Robert Vickrey
Title: Shadow Play 
Size: 18 1/4 x 24 in

Vickrey, born in Massachusetts in 1926 would one day become one of today's most crucial surreal artists.  His use of shadow and sunset portray very vivid almost dreamlike paintings.  His paintings remind me of childhood imagination to put it simply.  He died last year in Naples, Fl at age 84.

Ed Roth

Artist: Ed Roth
Title: Nitro Sheriff

Ed Roth was a cartoonist, painter, and custom car painter.  He was renowned for his monstrous characters driving hot rod cars.  He did the cover artwork for the album "Junkyard" by the Birthday Party.  Later in his career he began sculpting miniature hot rod cars.  Hotwheels even did a Rat Fink line of cars. 

James Ensor

Artist: James Ensor
Title: the rower
Size: 79 x 99 cm
date: 1883

  Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgiam painter/print maker.  He gave took heed on a surrealist style.  He dropped out of school at age 15 to study the arts,  he learned from two local painters.  Many of work was credited to be sacrilegious in taste and was looked down upon by the authority but his paintings continued to gain respect and acknowledgment throughout his art community. 

Francisco de Goya

Artist: Francisco de Goya
Title: El Lazarillo de Tormes
Date: 1746-1828

Goya was regarded as the last of the old painters an the first of the new.  He was a spanish court painter who dove deeply into the romantic category. He painted the portraits of many kings and queens.  He also painted all sides of the Peninsular war between France and Spain and remained neutral throughout the whole ordeal.

Nick Blinko

Artist: Nick Blinko
Title: Asylum


Blinko was born Sept. 4th 1964 in Britain.  He always drew nearly microscopic whimsical creatures.  When he was age 4 he was diagnosed with Schizophrenia which is very evident in his work.  He was also in a band called Rudimentary Peni where he did vocals/guitar/ and all the artwork.  He is now retired musically but still is very renowned in the art world for his work.  He still has art shows to this day.

Claude Cahun

Title: "What do you want from me?"
Artist: Claude Cahun
Date:1928
Medium: photograph

Cahun was a for-runner for Feminist Art.  She was openly lesbian and often cross-dressed.  Her work wasn't discovered and shown proper light until the 1980's.  It was rare for a woman to be openly gay in her time yet she revered much respect from fellow artists.  This is a self portrait which shows a demonic spirit whispering into the ear of her naive counterpart.

Salvador Dali

Artist: Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech
Title: "Sleep"
Date: 1933

Medium: oil on canvas

Dali was a very talented Draftsmen and was renowned for his surreal, neurotic imagery.  His works include film,  sculpture, paintings, and photography.  He was born in Catalonia, Spain on May 11th, 1904.  Dali has been renowned as a public figure as well with his charismatic demeanor and odd/witty interviews.  He is a huge inspiration to many modern artists.