Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen)

Sezio Launches Artist Series & Online Shop

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:01:37 -0700

After years of garage screen printing and teasing our friends with very limited-run apparel, Sezio is launching an Artist Series and online shop. We're honored to kick things off with four good friends and incredibly talented artists: Wes Bruce, Andrew Heine, Joel P West, and Mike Maxwell. Each has adapted one of their original pieces of artwork into a t-shirt screen for this series. The profit from each shirt will be split evenly with the artist, providing an added source of income for participating artists and furthering Sezio's reach as a non-profit organization. Click through to our retail home and style out your summer. Visit the shop here - http://www.civvies.biz/sezio/home.php

Brain Glamor : Morgan Goes Pacific

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:58:23 -0700

Back in January, Sezio interviewed Brooklyn-based Illustrator / Adventurer Morgan Blair. We were all so enthralled by her, that we created a new program just to get her and her work out west. Sezio's Artist Exchange Program will launch in August when Morgan and a friend road trip across the country. Upon arrival into San Diego, Morgan will stay at Luce Loft for a week and will be creating a custom installation to go with the various work she crams into her car. Sezio will host a two night opening, August 14th and 15th at downtown San Diego's Luce Loft. We're excited to have Karl Strauss and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego on board for this initial event. MCASD has provided a travel stipend for Morgan, and in return Morgan will be leading an Illustration workshop at MCASD's downtown building on August 13th. More info here - http://www.sezio.org/news/Brain-Glamor.aspx

The Sculptures of DJ Brelje

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:11:36 -0700

On a quiet Sunday afternoon amongst rows of warehouse buildings in Mira Mesa, DJ Brelje is the only person we've bumped into for miles. Locked away in his live/work space, DJ is hard at work trying to find a cure for his insatiable need to create. What goes through your head while working with metal for hours? Sometimes I ask myself, “Why am I making this shit?” Other times I feel like I’m Harry Potter. Art is a battle, but with the aid of tools I have the ability to manipulate metal in ways I would normally think not possible. If melting puddles of metal isn’t magical then I don’t know what is. I like to think about how I am going to stick one object to another, like balls or other genitalia to an old Popeye style anchor. I’m interested in how two different materials transition from one to the other and about all the different ways to do so. More photos & interview here - http://www.sezio.org/feature/DJ-Brelje.aspx

Mike Maxwell's Home Gallery

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:13:31 -0700

Mike Maxwell is a part time Historian and Anthropologist, and a full time Artist. Mike invited us out to his home in Crest, California to view some of his new work and his own private collection. Where do the Americana images come from? They came from my sense of curiosity about who I am and where I come from. Its about the struggles my ancestors took upon themselves to make possible the things I have, and who I am, today. They also come from my anger about leadership, power, and politics in this country. It comes from misconceptions and propaganda. View the full interview here - http://sezio.org/feature/Mike-Maxwell.aspx

Inside the Mind of Knorphus Zortorch

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:13:39 -0700

A year ago, I attended an Ocean Beach art show and ended up buying the painting below for $53. (How that price was named will be explained later) The artist is locally notorious for his tube time at the jetty, and for dropping lyrics at random house parties, but not yet for his art. His name is Knorphus Zortorch. What inspires you to make art? The creation aspect of art is manufacturing tokens from my thoughts. My mind creates constantly, art is the product. Art is an occasional souvenir for keeps or for sale. Why are so many of your characters dismembered? Why not? There is a whole faction of our society that we are protected from who are dismembered, diseased and dying. Why not point them out for your amusement? Read the full interview here - http://www.sezio.org/feature/Knorphus-Zortorch.aspx

The Adventures of Morgan Blair

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:35:39 -0700

I came across Morgan's work in Juxtapoz's reader art section. Her bright colors and love for early 90's flare drew me to her website immediately. After an hour of flipping through her sketchbooks and reading her cleverly-written blog, I had to ask for an interview. In her own words... Morgan Blair is a freelance illustrator, fine artist, and desperado. She is a recent graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), now living in New York and continuing to advance her interest in trees, legos and excellent music. Her ambitions for the present and future include adventure, survival, seeing magma and a real armadillo up close, and making art forever. Read Morgan's full interview > http://www.sezio.org/feature/Morgan-Blair.aspx

Kelsey Brookes Studio Visit

Zack Nielsen (zacknielsen) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:36:00 -0700

Over the past few years, Kelsey Brookes has worked to a place where his art is known in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and beyond, but his lack of major attention in his hometown of San Diego doesn't seem to bother him at all. For Kelsey, San Diego holds the elements of home and it is obvious that his pursuit of success in art has little to do with recognition or significance, but rather stems from a desire to enjoy life fully and spend his time in meaningful ways. His painting is full of passion, but it doesn't overshadow his passions for surfing, adventuring, and sharing time with friends, whether new or old. To see that balance is a reminder that good art is an expression of deep and interesting experiences, and the evidence of time well-spent drips out beautifully on Kelsey's canvases. When did you decide that you wanted to pursue making art full-time and how has the process been? I started full time in 2006. I honestly had no idea how it would happen. I had confidence in the fact that I could cover rent by doing free lance illustration work but that was as far as I had thought. Mostly I just knew that I wanted to have fun in my life and what I was doing at the time for money was not very fun. Read our full interview with Kelsey... http://www.sezio.org/feature/Kelsey-Brookes.aspx