The Avant/Garde Diaries is a digital interview magazine that documents artists on the forefront of their creative field. In each article a featured diarist speaks about people or individual works of art they consider to be ahead of their time. These iconoclasts discuss the cutting edge of art, design, fashion, music and film. Through their eyes we experience uniquely personal profiles that celebrate and inspire the avant-garde. This week Avant/Garde Diaries visits with artist David LaChapelle whose pop-culture influenced art and and photography is widely recognizable with its loud colors, exposed skin, glittering bling, and phantasmagoric blend of fact and fiction.

I really enjoyed this clip with an introduction by curator Reiner Opoku, and it ends with a great quote about the power of imagery and art from LaChapelle, which I’ll paraphrase here: ”Art is for everyone in that for the time that you look at it — a painting, or listening to a song, or reading a book — those words were written for you. [...] And it’s yours. You own it, as much as you own anything else in life, just for the time your are looking at it. And if you can hold that in your mind’s eye, then you have it forever.”  You can watch the video in its entirety here, it also includes a quick retrospective featuring samples of his work spanning the last three decades or so.

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The Inaugural Edition of Art Southampton presented by Art Miami July 26-30 is proving to be catnip for savvy young collectors and groups from up and down the East Coast.

Many of the individuals and groups planning to attend are very familiar with the Art Miami style of presentation and are eagerly looking forward to the fair, which has already won the support of numerous prominent collectors, philanthropists and major art world figures and has made a concerted effort to reach out to the next generation of collectors.

Art Southampton will take place from July 26-30, 2012 in a state-of-the-art 75,000 square foot Pavilion located on the sprawling 18-acre fairgrounds behind the Southampton Elks Lodge. The fair will commence on Thursday evening, July 26, 2012 with a highly-anticipated Opening Night VIP Preview benefiting Southampton Hospital.

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The Avant/Garde Diaries is a digital interview magazine that documents artists on the forefront of their creative field. In each article a featured diarist speaks about people or individual works of art they consider to be ahead of their time. These iconoclasts discuss the cutting edge of art, design, fashion, music and film. Through their eyes we experience uniquely personal profiles that celebrate and inspire the avant-garde.

The Avant/Garde Diaries’s most recent entry, “Jonathan Jones & Cockatoo Island – Dialogue for the Future” follows the contemporary site specific installation artist, Jonathan Jones, as he explores his native Sydney Harbor’s largest landmass, Cockatoo Island. The area’s vast indigenous and industrial history make it a fascinating site for contemporary art and the Biennale of Sydney.

Find out more at avantgardediaries.com or facebook.com/avantgardediaries.

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The Avant/Garde Diaries is a digital interview magazine that documents artists on the forefront of their creative field. In each article a featured diarist speaks about people or individual works of art they consider to be ahead of their time. These iconoclasts discuss the cutting edge of art, design, fashion, music and film. Through their eyes we experience uniquely personal profiles that celebrate and inspire the avant-garde.

The Avant/Garde Diaries’s most recent entry, “Redirect Our Medium” shines the spotlight on, Adam Green & Todd Diciurcio. Adam Green is a musician, artist, and most recently released the independent film “The Wrong Ferrari” which he both wrote and directed, starring Macaulay Culkin. Todd Diciurcio is a painter, sculptor, and music video director. His often large-scale drawing and paintings are created within and respond to the context of the staged ‘live’ performance and special event. The two met in London to share their zest for exploring outside the proverbial box and asking “why not”?

Check out the complete video portrait library at theavantgardediaries.com or facebook.com/avantgardediaries

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20×200 is built on a simple formula: (limited editions + low prices) × the internet = art for everyone. Working directly with hundreds of artists —emerging, established and legendary— the site releases new, limited edition art each week at affordable prices.

Starting at just $24, 20×200 features exclusive works from over 200 artists including a number of artists seen here on Colossal such as Hollis Brown Thornton, Austin Kleon, Todd McLellan, and Paul Octavious.

It’s time to get your summer savings on—the second installment of 20×200‘s semi-annual, RIDONK event is on through Monday 6/18! Take 20% off your order of $50 or more— a full 20% savings, even on custom framed art! Don’t miss your chance, 20×200 offers these savings only twice a year! Enter code RIDONK at checkout.

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Harvest is a painless time tracking tool for creative professionals available anywhere you find yourself working. Track time via the web, desktop or your mobile device. Within seconds, turn your billable hours into an invoice.

Trusted by freelancers and teams in over 100 countries, Harvest helps you spend less time managing your timesheet, so you can focus on your craft. Get started with a free 30 day trial today.

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Ten Dollar Fonts is a fresh new online store that helps designers sell their fonts to the masses for an accessible price of $10.

Offering greater exposure to designers and an amazing product for shoppers, the store provides a simple and quick way to buy fonts that is easy on the wallet while giving you the satisfaction of supporting fellow designers.

View all the typefaces available at www.tendollarfonts.com. Every purchase gets a free discount code for 10% off your next visit to the store.

Ten Dollar Fonts is currently taking font submissions, so if you would like to sell your font on the site, send them an email!

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The Avant/Garde Diaries is a digital portrait magazine that invites leading creatives to talk about the cutting edge of art, design, fashion, music and film. In each digital portrait, featured diarists are asked to introduce someone or something they consider to be ahead of their time. The result is a collection of very personal snapshots that celebrate new ways of thinking and spread inspiration. Be sure to check out the complete video portrait library at theavantgardediaries.com.

One recent video, “Taking Chances,” features Swiss pro snowboarder Nicolas Mueller and L.A. based action sports manager Circe Wallace. The two met in Muellers picturesque hometown Laax in Switzerland, went snowboarding and spoke about taking risks and the need in recognizing chances.

Find out more at avantgardediaries.com or facebook.com/avantgardediaries

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