Expanded Eye

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Art Illustration

Elegant Tattoos by Expanded Eye Combine Fragmented Figures and Geometric Details into Surreal Compositions

Splashes of primary colors enhance the dotted lines and angular forms that compose Expanded Eye’s tattoos. Artists Jade Tomlinson and Kev James (previously) are behind the distinctly geometric designs that pair foliage and natural matter with architectural constructions and figures: single hands extend with delicate gestures, fragmented faces open to unveil inner dimensions, and stripes, chevrons, and other patterns fill structural elements. The ink-based works are poetic and surreal, with each composition rooted in narratives of consciousness, relationships, and universal human emotions like grief and…

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Art Illustration

Surreal Portraiture and Cubism Combine in Beautiful New Illustrated Tattoos by Artist Duo ‘Expanded Eye’

The work of artist duo Jade Tomlinson and Kev James of Expanded Eye (previously) spans paintings, installations, street art, sculptures and most importantly tattoos that blend line work, typography, and geometry. Based in London, the pair approaches each tattoo as a piece of art, firmly establishing a narrative and purpose behind each design before making a commitment. They even go as far as asking potential customers to not "overly concern yourself with the aesthetics," and instead let the piece evolve organically based on their own discoveries. You can see many more of their tattoos on Facebook (nsfw), they have several…

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Art Craft

Clara Holt Reimagines Ancient Myths and Decorative Traditions in Vivid Ceramic Vessels

Drawing on the long history of Mediterranean ceramics, Italian artist Clara Holt covers the surfaces of vessels, tiles, and tablets with playful, colorful narratives. Inspired by the region's ancient decorative pottery like the Minoan octopus flask or Greek and Etruscan vase painting, she illustrates references to mythology, nature, customs, and folklore. As a child, Holt's grandparents told stories of Greek heroes and monsters, and she devoured books about the ancient gods and legends. "Mythology fascinated me because it was like…

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Art Illustration

Stunning Tattoos by Art Collaborators ‘Expanded Eye’

Artists Jade Tomlinson and Kev James of Expanded Eye split their time between London and Thonon-les-Bains, France where they pursue a wide range of artistic endeavors including illustration, street art, and tattoos. Kev does the actual ink work while the duo collaborate for several days on the artwork that merges natural elements with typography and geometry using extremely delicate line work. It is so rare that I get excited about tattoo art and this is definitely an exception, my jaw dropped on seeing just a few quick email attachments and I've since gone through their gallery of work four or…

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Tonika Johnson On Using Photography as a Starting Point to Explore Chicago’s Ongoing History of Segregation

Colossal contributor Paulette Beete spoke with Tonika Johnson in November 2020 via phone. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. Shown above is Wade, an Edgewater resident, sitting on Nanette's porch in Englewood.   Though not Chicago’s true geographic center, the intersection of Madison Street, which runs east to west, and State Street, which runs north to south, is the central point for the city’s address system. Chicago native Tonika Johnson, however, has been viscerally aware that the north-south dividing line is not a mere postal distinction since she was a teenaged photographer. Trained as a photojournalist, Johnson…

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Lalese Stamps On Her Wildly Ambitious 100-Day Project, Brand Activism, and the Need for Vulnerability

Managing editor Grace Ebert spoke with Lalese Stamps of Lolly Lolly Ceramics in February 2021 via Zoom. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. All images © Lolly Lolly Ceramics, shared with permission   Grace: You grew up in Milwaukee, and now you’re in Columbus. What’s it like working in a smaller creative community? Lalese: It's easier for me to speak to my connection with Columbus and the community here because I've been here the past ten years. It’s such a supportive community. Even though Columbus is small—it's a smaller city than Chicago or New York or L.A., for…

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