Cellular 001

Sophie LaBell received her BFA in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts in 2017. With a focus on design for social change, she has designed for dozens of political candidates running for office. These projects have included brand identities, digital and print assets, and visual campaigns for political candidates and social causes across the United States. Alongside her experience in design, Sophie has maintained a lifelong commitment to drawing and visual art. Coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, and public health expanded her understanding of the body and its complexities– insights that deeply inform her studio practice. She is actively engaged in arts organizations throughout New Jersey, where she is continuously evolving her work at the intersection of art, science, and personal narrative.

Sophie LaBell is an abstract artist who utilizes acrylic, marker, and pen to create vibrant paintings and drawings. Minimalist in nature, but maximalist in her work, Sophie creates detailed lines and shapes that bleed off the edges of her
works on paper. Vibrant neon palettes create a visual vibration, suggesting microscopic change and movement. Her process is intuitive– no sketching or planning– each mark responding to the one before it, growing like cells dividing:
unpredictable, interconnected, and alive. After being diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease in 2022, Sophie became fascinated with the unseen anatomy of the body: mast cells, spike proteins, and the tangled architecture of nerves. Sophie’s work is grounded in both personal experience and biological curiosity. Her drawings and paintings transform this hidden biology into color, rhythm, and energy– stemming from the belief that what exists inside us can be made visual.

Cellular 025

Sophie LaBell is an abstract artist who utilizes acrylic, marker, and pen to create vibrant paintings and drawings. Minimalist in nature, but maximalist in her work, Sophie creates detailed lines and shapes that bleed off the edges of her works on paper. Vibrant neon palettes create a visual vibration, suggesting microscopic change and movement. Her process is intuitive– no sketching or planning– each mark responding to the one before it, growing like cells dividing: unpredictable, interconnected and alive. After being diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease in 2022, Sophie became fascinated with the unseen anatomy of the body: mast cells, spike proteins, and the tangled architecture of nerves. Sophie’s work is grounded in both personal experience and biological curiosity. Her drawings and paintings transform this hidden biology into color, rhythm, and energy– stemming from the belief that what exists inside us can be made visual.

Central Park

Aphrodite Vairaktaris is an artist and photographer based in New York City. A native New Yorker, Ms. Vairaktaris enjoys the excitement of the City but oftentimes looks to the ocean and quiet forested trails around the tri-state area for reflection and quiet conversation with nature. She takes inspiration from nature but also through experiences.

Ms. Vairaktaris works with various media, from acrylics to pencils; from water-soluble oils to watercolors and pastels. Her varied artwork has been exhibited online and at several in-person exhibitions throughout the United States from 2019 to the present, her most recent in-person exhibition being at Laguna Beach, California, in February 2024

A native New Yorker, I enjoy the excitement of the City but oftentimes look to the ocean and quiet forested trails to reflect and have quiet conversations with nature. I take inspiration from her as well as my life experiences. I work with various media, from acrylics to pencils; from water-soluble oils to pastels.

Chain Reaction

Lisa studied traditional and abstract art. She has worked for Interior Designers, developers, architects & set decorators Lisa has done paintings for Corporate Art, commissions, movies, television, and galleries.

Represented at Art Scene West Gallery, Solana Beach CA, and Off the Walls Studio Gallery, CA, Hilton Garden Inn lobby areas in Bellevue WA, Dibble Engineers lobby & ofﬁce, Kirkland WA, Paciﬁc Housing Northwest lobby areas W, 911 Lonestar, CSI Las Vegas, Several small Independent films, TV, and more.

Gallery shows include:
* Stanwood Gallery
* Ryan James Gallery – Solo show
* Jones Gallery
* 311 Gallery Group Show
* Hilton Garden Inn Hotel-Solo corporate show
* Las Lagunas Gallery
* Parklane Gallery
* WAV Gallery
* “1927” –Solo Private corporate art show
* Linus Gallery
* XY Gallery-New York Solo show
* Dab Art Gallery, Ventura CA

Work includes:
* Corporate Art-Graphite Architects, Seattle WA
* Commission by Owner of Intrigue Music NY
* Several pieces for the television series 911 Lonestar
* Corporate Art for Dibble Engineers, Kirkland WA
* Amy May Interior Design (clients)
* Cindy Montgomery (clients/luxury homes)
* Hotel in Florida lobby area
* Imagine Housing-lobbies
* Northwest Housing Development-lobbies
* Many more…

I consider myself an “Escape Artist” who creates abstracts inspired by subjects of architecture and nature. My art style varies between geometric shapes, forms, and lines or can be free-flowing organic. My abstracts tend to be simplistic in a format inspired by colors, textures, and subject matter to stir the imagination and create their own vision of what it represents to each viewer. I try to have balance in my compositions, not equal balance but a view that feels comfortable and brings out the most essential details of the subject. I wish everyone could keep an open mind and view all art with imagination.

Chair Talk

A native of NC, Anne Harkness is an alumnus of the Atlanta College of Art and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute, College of Art. Her work as an art director in NYC for 15 years has embodied her work with a graphic element that astute viewers can detect in her paintings. For 5 years, Harkness studied painting under and worked for Curt Butler, a renowned oil painter.

As a contemporary artist, Anne seeks to capture a distinct point of view, often finding some unexpected beauty in locations or views others would easily dismiss as ordinary.

Working from her love of subject matter with a strong design element, Harkness also focuses on the importance of line in her work. Anne credits her emphasis on these particular components to studying the old masters and a lifelong love of drawing. Her desire to retain the looser marks that give a piece a more rustic, fresh, and spontaneous quality, adds something uniquely set apart to each painting.

Champagne And Roses

In just the last four years, Rich Wagner’s works have been included in more than 50 exhibitions in New York, Maryland, and California. Examples of his work are included in private collections and the Law Library at Pace University.

The son of artists, Rich’s formal art education includes study at the Art Students League of New York, where he is an elected member, the Royal Academy of Arts, and the V&A Academy in London. His art has been nourished by the study of art history, most recently with the Smithsonian, the Courtauld Institute, the University of Oxford, and the National Gallery of Ireland.

In this series, I am exploring times of celebration and the emotions that they evoke. “Champagne and Roses” created in 2023 was the first painting in what has become a popular and successful series for me.

Chandler And Friend

Joanne Chase-Mattillo was born in the beautiful Midwestern University town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. While the natural surroundings of her childhood were inspiring, the beauty of nature surrounding Los Angeles was the impetus for her entrance into the field of photography. Joanne began vigorously studying photography and other art arenas to hone her skills as a visual artist. In 2000, she graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a Master of Fine Arts (MFA). She is now a full-time artist.

In addition to color and black and white film, Joanne shoots digitally and employs the techniques of infrared imaging and enjoys creating 3D anaglyphs to be viewed with red/blue lenses. As an extension of photography, she has branched out to do videos and has a YouTube Channel, THE VIDEO ART OF JOANNE CHASE-MATTILLO. Along with nature, Joanne frequently photographs female and male subjects at themed studio shoots. She often uses the photograph of models combined with images of her nature photography to create unique photo montages.

Joanne has exhibited throughout California, nationally, in Korea, France, England, Switzerland, Scotland, Greece, Spain, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Holland, Taiwan, Brazil, Dubai, and Italy.

As a photographer, I am constantly in search of iconic imagery. The craftsmanship and perfection of classic Hollywood cinema have always been an inspiration and a goal I seek to achieve in my photography. While enjoying the technology of the present and how it has enhanced photography, I am very drawn to recreate photographs that reference the best of the past. It is my intent that the viewer of the images I create will be taken out of the everyday present to a magical place where, at any time, they would dream of going. Whether photographing people or nature, I strive to honor the best and the beauty of all that I have an opportunity to capture with my camera.

Summer days are the dream moments of the year that are looked forward to in dreary seasons. The beach, pool, lakes, and oceans draw all to embrace the sun and beat the heat. When we think of summer, we embrace all that the warmth of the sun brings.

Chang’e

Hi, I’m Zhongqi Li, a passionate character concept artist and illustrator specializing in creating immersive worlds for video games. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to contribute to some of the most recognizable titles in the gaming industry, including Overwatch 2, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Apex Legends, Honor of Kings, and many more.

My work is influenced by a mix of storytelling, mythology, and traditional art, and I try to blend those elements in everything I do. Whether I’m working on historical figures or futuristic heroes, I aim to create characters that feel genuine and relatable, giving them depth and emotion. This version keeps the original meaning but makes it more laid-back and approachable.

In this piece titled “Chang’e,” I have meticulously captured the grace and mystique of the goddess Chang’e, floating serenely amidst an ethereal sea of clouds. According to Chinese mythology, Chang’e was once a mortal woman who ascended to the heavens after consuming the elixir of immortality, forever bound to the moon. This narrative inspired me to depict her in a way that not only reflects her celestial presence but also highlights her humanity, caught between two worlds. The artwork combines traditional and modern elements, with particular attention to the intricate details reminiscent of Tangka painting techniques. I used digital tools to replicate gilded lines, capturing the richness and complexity found in ancient tapestries. The swirling clouds and radiant golden patterns are meant to evoke the timeless beauty of Chang’e’s story, merging historical art forms with contemporary digital methods. Through this fusion, I aimed to create a piece that pays homage to Chinese mythology and traditional artistry, while pushing the boundaries of modern digital painting.

Changing

Eric Rottcher, a talented painter and collage artist working from Gettysburg, PA, has recently achieved remarkable success in the art world. His paintings and mixed media collages have gained popularity among collectors both in the United States and internationally. Eric pursued a Fine Arts degree with a focus on Aesthetics at Shippensburg University, earning his BA in 2011.

During his college years, Eric faced a difficult time when his mother experienced a brain aneurysm and two strokes. This tragic event led him to take a step back from the art world after graduation, and he struggled with depression and substance abuse for many years. Fortunately, Eric is not only back in the art scene but in the studio every day producing and creating new works of art.

Eric Rottcher sits precariously between the worlds of Fine Art and Lowbrow. His unique vision and approach involve integrating elements such as old photographs and images sourced from books and magazines. Through this visual language, Eric creates collages that pay homage to the traditional analog methods of the Dadaists by creating captivating worlds.

He decontextualizes the old and reconstructs new meaningful dialogues about mental illness, addiction, religion, humor, death, love secretiveness, and the nature of beauty.

My work is driven by my genuine curiosity and fascination with the human experience. I am intrigued by the intricacies of our inner thoughts and the enigmatic dimensions that lie in each of us, just beneath the surface. By creating paintings, collages, and assemblages, I aim to construct visual narratives that are interesting and interplay between our inner realm and the external world we inhabit. Throughout my creative process, I actively embrace a range of mediums and techniques: adding, concealing, cutting, and removing layers. The overall process unfolds like an engaging conversation, where my exploration and meticulous refinement gradually unveil the hidden secrets intricately woven into the artwork