The colorful creatures conjured up by artist Vorja Sánchezare
both fit for a fairytale and from your wildest dreams. Everything about
the animal-loving, Barcelona-based illustrator’s oeuvre—from materials
used, style employed, and fauna depicted—is eclectic, making each
peculiar piece entirely unique and visually alluring. To create soft and
dreamy depictions, like his comprehensive collage of realistically
rendered birds, Sánchez uses washes of watercolor and subdued colored
pencils. For his more stylized, inventive animals, he often relies on
the bold and graphic nature of pen and ink as well as spray paint.
Sanchez also frequently pairs traditional graphite pencils with paint to
produce mesmerizing mixed media creations that contrast hazy hues with
black-and-white line drawings.
While his entire portfolio is wonderfully whimsical and frequently
features collage-like compositions, the pieces that comprise it are not
obviously by the same artist—a rare quality found in few artists. While
some are inspired by daily observations (especially his experiences
during his time in Nicaragua), others are entirely made-up. With his
sundry aesthetic approach and range of subject matter, he is able to
easily diversify his work and alter his aesthetic from piece to piece.
You can see more beguiling beasts (as well as adventures with his adorable dog) on Sánchez’s Instagram. Facebook
Auguste Rodin,
The Danaid,
1889, Marble,
Rodin Museum, Paris
“Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist-a master-and that is what Auguste Rodin was-can look at an old woman, portray her exactly as she is…and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be…and more than that, he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo, or even you, see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but simply prisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart…no matter what the merciless hours have done to her. Look at her, Ben. Growing old doesn’t matter to you and me; we were never meant to be admired-but it does to them.”
Create a mess 