Joey Brighter Days Ahead

Growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and now living in Los Angeles, Brandon Shim leveraged his love of working with people in his portrait photography.  He is most fascinated by the unlimited aesthetic options in crafting an ideal portrait, and then in selecting the best.  A University of Southern California (BA & MBA) graduate, Brandon has studied and utilized the USC campus in both architectural and portrait photography.

Brandon’s creative photography journey started when he borrowed a family member’s camera, and then he learned from different mentors, including his two nephews, James and John.  He sharpened his skills by going on organized photo shoots.   In his endeavors, Brandon inspired his portrait photography subjects to increase their confidence and develop their own personal artistic style.

In addition to still photography, Brandon has produced or co-produced several short films, including Different Quake, Quad, and God’s Voice.  These films have been screened in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and London.

As both a photographer and video producer, I enjoy collaborating with highly talented individuals to create innovative art.  To achieve this goal, I take the following three steps.

First, I inspire my portrait subjects to unlock their own personal beauty and unique style.  Second, I experiment and encourage my photo subjects to experiment with different wardrobes, lighting, emotions, postures, and scenic backgrounds.  Finally, as a creative team, both my photo subjects and I endeavor to captivate our audience into entering our magical world.  In short, we create photography to engage people in our distinctive narrative.

John Lennon 21″

Bryce Culverhouse
7286 LaCabreah Drive, Apt. 102
Brownsburg, Indiana 46112

Born in St. Joseph, Michigan on February 13, 1951. Currently living in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Inducted into Indiana Artisan on October 17, 2019. Past member of the Art Director’s Club of Indiana and the American Advertising Federation. Graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University majoring in Advertising Design. The title of my current
exhibition is “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

After developing a strong interest in typography while attending Kendall College of Art and Design, and after a career as a Graphic Designer, Art Director, and Creative Director, I decided to develop a new style of art based solely on letter forms that create images.

I’ve combined my passion for history and visual art. I have created specific history or biography lessons that both communicate information about the subject as well as an interesting concept to visualize the subject. Each piece is meant to be read as well as viewed for its visual value.

I recently started working with a poet to visually portray her poetry. I have also started exploring Indigenous People and their stories.

The typography that forms each subject is usually interesting biomaterial and well-known quotes or in the case of my Mount Rushmore series, Presidential speeches or letters they have written.

Joie De Vivre

I was born and raised in NYC but mostly in The Bronx. I attended CCNY where I graduated with a BS in Mathematics and an MA in Mathematics Education. I taught high school mathematics in The Bronx. I have always been interested in the arts and started writing poems and playing guitar at age 19. I studied poetry under Professor Robert O’Clair. I studied guitar at The Guitar Workshop. I studied painting and drawing at SUNY in Purchase. I have had paintings in 8 live group shows at Jones Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, and in many online shows. I have exhibited continuously at HMVCGalleryNewYork virtually since its inception. A wonderful state-of-the-art gallery with outstanding artists! My poems have been published.in magazines, books, and at HVMOCA. I self-published a children’s book, ”Mr. Fine Goes to the Eye Doctor”. My principal artistic interest has been abstract painting and drawing for the last 10 years, but I have written many poems as well. I live in Putnam County, NY.

My work in fine arts has principally been in 2 classes of abstract paintings: oils and water-based paints. However, I have completed numerous works in drawing. I focus on color, texture, methodology of delivery, and composition. In composition, I am interested in positive space and negative space as well. I believe the painting/drawing is a manifestation of my emotional state of both conscious and unconscious feelings.

Jolt

Judi Brice has always been fascinated by design. After receiving a BA in Marketing from Hofstra University, she went on to work in the wholesale jewelry industry both selling and designing. Judi then moved to Cartier for three years.

Judi spent ten years studying art appreciation through a gallery tour course given by the JCC of Tenafly. This led to her dream of painting her own work.

Judi’s paintings can be described as abstract expressionist, and she has been inspired by painters such as Joan Mitchell, Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, and Philip Guston. Judi uses her inner compass as her guide. Her compositions explore color and evoke an inner landscape of emotion. She works in oil on canvas.

Judi works in her studio in Haworth, New Jersey. She teaches art to students of all ages and is extremely passionate about sharing her knowledge of art.

Making abstract paintings is about trust and knowing that the individual marks become decipherable in a broader context. Abstraction allows me to tell a story, one that is open to interpretation. My hope is that the viewer brings their experiences to my work and makes the story personal.

The power of color, line, and shape is empowering. I am inspired by how the three elements interact with each other. I use light to create space. My compositions emerge on their own, informed not by specific places but rather by memories, images, and fragments of emotions. My goal is for the viewer to take it all in and share a feeling.

Jon And Sugar

Zina Poliszuk has both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in art education with additional areas of study in painting, from Towson University, MD. Watercolor painting has been a specialty for Zina for many years and she really enjoys its transparency and light effects.

Zina has been represented by a variety of galleries in Baltimore, Frederick, and Howard Counties and has exhibited with the Baltimore Watercolor Society for about 30 years. Her work is included in collections both Nationally and Internationally.

Zina teaches basic and advanced drawing, design, and painting through Howard County’s Parks and Recreation programs as well as private and small group lessons for children and adults in her home teaching studio.

Most of Zina’s work has an emotional symbolism that is at once personal and universal. Still life and interiors inspire feelings of comfort, home, and familiarity with the routines of daily living. Pet paintings always evoke the joy and well-being that animals bring to our lives. Landscapes, both real and imaginative, remind us of the fragility of our world’s environment and our need to protect the beauty around us. Images of children and gardens are symbols of hope and reminders of the toughness and courage of children in their eagerness to transcend the difficulties that are often a part of growing up.

Jonah In Studio

In the vibrant and ever-evolving world of photography, Wisdom Warner stands out as a stoic, silly, and adventurous force. Born in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Wisdom’s journey has been profoundly influenced by his late grandfather, Alexander Billy Andrews. The wisdom imparted through their shared readings of the Book of Proverbs and his father’s timeless advice to seek wisdom has shaped his unique vision and artistic moniker.

With a degree in Advertising and Branding, Wisdom’s academic background complements his creative endeavors, allowing him to merge strategic thinking with artistic expression seamlessly. His intimate creative process cross-pollinates music, advertisements, fashion campaigns, and personal experiences to expand his position in the art world, as he sees everything as a tool and a page to both use and learn from. His talent has been recognized internationally, with his work gracing the front cover of Thames and Hudson’s ‘Class of 2024’.

Wisdom’s artistic style is a harmonious blend of influences from musical icons Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. He draws inspiration from Kendrick’s profound ideologies and style, Gaga’s bold and avant-garde presence, and Rihanna’s transformative influence and early 2000s styling. This eclectic mix resonates deeply in Wisdom’s work, where culture, fashion, and fine art converge to create editorial masterpieces.

His portfolio boasts publications in prestigious outlets such as PhotoBook Magazine, ColorBloc Magazine, and Visionary Art Collective. Wisdom’s keen eye for detail and his ability to connect with his subjects on a personal level enable him to mirror their essence and, in turn, discover himself through his lens. This unique approach has led to his co-curation of an exhibition at The Atlanta Contemporary with Mary Stanley Studios and his feature in the show titled ‘Articles in Orbit’. His work has also garnered attention at Echo Contemporary and Artist Forum Atlanta.

Wisdom’s accolades include a portfolio award from The One Club for Creativity in New York City, cementing his reputation as a creative powerhouse. As an art director, photographer, and creative strategist, he continues to push boundaries and redefine the visual narrative.

In every frame, Wisdom Warner captures more than just an image; he encapsulates a story, a moment, a piece of wisdom that resonates with the viewer, making him a truly remarkable artist in today’s cultural landscape.

In my recent work, I delve deep into the journey of self-identity, exploring the layers that makeup who we are and how we relate to the world around us. My passion lies in avant-garde fashion and layered narratives, where every element—no matter how mundane—can transform into a profound fashion statement. From the everyday materials we use to the way we gaze at one another, even the stands in my studio, everything holds the potential to be reimagined and redefined.

This body of work is a testament to the power of curiosity and discovery, guided by the questions, “What if we tried this?” and the awe-inspiring moments of, “Wow, I didn’t even expect that.” It is a sinner reflection, a deep dive into my own consciousness through the characters I create and the stories they tell. These sometimes intricate and randomized characters bring a sense of normalcy to the unpredictable nature of life, grounding me and, I hope, my viewers in a shared human experience.

My work seeks to inspire and connect, building bridges between diverse cultures, pop culture, and modernism. It draws on the dramatic and romantic motifs of the Victorian, Baroque, and Rococo eras, celebrating the beauty of individualism and the power of expressing the inner self in bold, loud, and unapologetic ways.

Each photograph is an invitation to explore not just the visual spectacle but the deeper narratives of identity and belonging. It is through these layered motifs and narratives that I aim to find my place in the world and learn from others, creating a dialogue that transcends the superficial and touches the very core of our shared humanity.

In this exploration, I hope to inspire others to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to question the boundaries of fashion and identity, and to find their own unique voice in the cacophony of life. My art is a celebration of the journey, the discovery, and the endless possibilities that arise when we decide to look beyond the surface.

Joseph And His Brothers

Born 1948.
Turned professional as an art lithography printer apprentice (studio assistant) in 1965.

Wow!

I always have trouble with this conceptualist concept of “Artist Statement”. I am not a writer and besides that have no clear definition of self. Over nearly 60 years of making I have achieved a level far beyond what I imagined possible. That keyed (I am writing this stream of conscious-like conversation) my work is “inconsistent”. My themes are various as are my techniques and materials which are plastic, with little character of their own, as good art mediums are. The paintings might be thought of in literary terms but they are primarily visual and, if I am doing my job correctly they should be, in theme, as clear to anyone on the planet no matter what language their mothers have taught.

Each artwork is an independent and novel approach to my/our culture.

The “art” is my “statement”.

Josephine

Born in Venezuela in 1970 and now based in Norway, my work is shaped by an intimate connection with nature, memory, and the unseen. My artistic journey began in childhood with oil landscapes, but everything changed with the sudden loss of my father in an airplane accident when I was 11. In the wake of that event, art became my refuge—a means to navigate life’s complexities. At 15, I moved to Norway, where the tranquil winter landscapes inspired my transition from painting to photography. I worked in the darkroom for years before moving into digital photography, exploring the idea of “painting with light”. I pursued formal studies in Art Photography at The Interdisciplinary Art Institute in Bærum, Bilder Nordic, and the Oslo Art Photography Academy, learning from talented artists such as Fin Sersk-Hanssen, Richard Ferrar, Carll Goodpasture, Julio Silva, Tammo Rits, and Manit Sriwanichpoom. My artistic practice is informed by a belief in the spirit that inhabits all things, guiding my exploration of connections that shape our experiences. This perspective enriches my understanding of light and presence, while the serene landscapes around me invite a sense of stillness. My work has been showcased internationally, with exhibitions in Bangkok, Art Basel Miami, and galleries in Oslo and Los Angeles. I have been published in Black and White Photography magazine and received an honorable mention in the Monochrome Awards. Additionally, I have sold my work to private collectors. I continue to work with photography as a form of exploration, drawing from my personal journey and cultural influences. I invite you to read my artist statement for a deeper understanding of my creative philosophy and the themes that inspire my work.

I believe in animism, the understanding that every element of the world, whether living or inanimate, possesses a spirit. This belief shapes my view of life and my approach to art, where photography reveals the presence and energy flowing through all things. Light is not just a tool but the essence of this spirit, illuminating what often remains unseen. My process is slow and meditative, whether working with analog or digital mediums. Each photograph is discovered, unfolding gradually. I am drawn to abstract forms, portraits, and nature— subjects that blur the line between the visible and the invisible. Black and white imagery often distills moments into their purest form, while color deepens the emotional or spiritual tone of the image.

The magic of photography continues in the darkroom or on the screen, where the image emerges as light reveals a truth that has always existed. Here, the spirit speaks—not as something distant, but as
the force shaping the image and bringing forth what lies beneath the surface. Inspired by the teachings of the Buddha and the landscapes of Ansel Adams, I seek to create work that offers stillness—a pause for reflection in a turbulent world. My photographs invite viewers to sense the quiet forces that hold everything together and glimpse the harmony beyond the visible. For me, photography is like meditation, a practice of connecting to the quiet space within. Through this presence, I explore the subtle threads that connect us all, offering others a window into the Spirit that is Everything.

Journey

Colors always fascinated me as a child. I remember scribbling and coloring on the walls of our home, and even our nice shell-white color car! Of course, I was reprimanded for my generous acts of creativity! Thank God for my parents, I grew up and grew out of painting on objects that were not meant to be painted on! That summer, my parents enrolled me in an art class, and it opened a whole new world for me. I realized that painting was not only meditative but also a powerful medium of expressing one’s thoughts via colors. Creating felt like poetry to me. The more I immersed myself in the beauty of this medium, the more I discovered the candor it gave me.

My style is predominantly abstract. I use mixed media, oil, and acrylic on canvas. I believe in not limiting my creativity to painting but in using diverse, non-traditional elements and techniques to create. I feel fortunate to have had my work appreciated and commended at various national and international shows and exhibitions.

Art has given me the freedom to express my feelings uninhibited. Exposed to a variety of art forms as a little girl, I took a liking to painting, classical music and dance, poetry, and photography.

My work captures life in various moods and forms. I believe there is a color for each existence in the microcosm within oneself, and the macrocosm outside. Creativity has been my path to self-realization and happiness.

My style is predominantly abstract. I use mixed media, oil, and acrylic on canvas. Creativity cannot be limited solely to painting and hence, I believe in using diverse, non-traditional elements and techniques to create.

My artistic journey is paved with unending love and support from my family. I am excited to present my work at the HMVC Gallery, in New York.