To me, the word “creature” conjures images of mythical beings from classic literature and films. From Moby Dick and Old Yeller to Godzilla and The Fly, iconic creatures have piqued our imaginations and stirred our hearts. Artists have created their likenesses since ancient times. Paleolithic images of bison stampeding along the walls at Lascaux, mythical tigers and dragons featured in ancient Chinese art, celestial elephants in Hindu cosmology, and totemic animals carved by indigenous tribes led to Renaissance hound paintings by Paolo Uccello, monumental cattle scenes by Rosa Bonheur, Leonor Fini’s obsessive images of cats, and anthropomorphic Weimaraner portraits by William Wegman. Blending human and animal, Andre Breton’s “Surrealist Bestiary” failed to distinguish between creatures from real life and the creatures in our minds.
Inspired by found artifacts, threats to the environment, historical references, and personal trauma, the work in Creatures: Mythical to Mundane (selected from submissions to NOT REAL ART’s biennial grant) offers a breathtaking melange of insects, ceramic wolves, household pests, and mutant swans. A meticulous rendering of a bee and an AI-inspired poodle encounter an artificial rabbit and imperiled arctic fauna. Cutting-edge installations of cave paintings and mythical whales mingle with magic hummingbirds and animations devoted to fish and fireflies. Whether advocating for animal welfare, exploring hidden phobias, calling out social inequities, or addressing the fragility of nature, this month’s artists use creatures to reveal aspects of themselves, speculate on the future, and reflect on moments past.
View Creatures: Mythical to Mundane via the button below, then scroll down for details about the artists and their work.
Winged Creatures
Roberta Condon’s dreamy image of a woman sheltered by owls relays her exhaustion with attacks on the environment. After years of fighting back, she longs for repose but is unable to sleep. In “Eclipse,” a mixed-media drawing of a woman covered with butterflies and centipedes, Grace Netanya plays with the tension between repulsiveness and beauty, self-sacrifice and shame. In her intricate intaglio print of a bee, Rachel Jeanne Singel addresses the critical role of bees in the natural world and the environmental consequences of their loss. Rose Knopper’s coming-of-age animation “Fireflies” reflects on the fleeting quality of love and offers a wistful memory of coming out. Rylee Nelson’s emotive painting of a bird slumped by a fragment of barbed-wire fence resonates with longing and loss.
Mythical Beings
Michael Tole weaves Melville and myth in a Rafael-inspired homage to Moby Dick. His lush painting of the legendary whale explores gender dynamics and empowerment through mixed metaphors. Francine Gintoff’s genie-like image of a poodle materializing from a bottle of “AI” perfume suggests Pandora is out of the box. “Dragon’s Bane,” Dale Crossley’s illustration of a dragon battling a wizard in the moonlight, has a cinematic energy that leaves sparks in its wake. Robin Echo Young’s "In Search of the Magic Hummingbird” collage blends Henri Rousseau’s primitivism with hints of Alfred Hitchcock. Defying gravity, Jonathan Antonio Stamp’s shimmering animation “Horse Dream” evokes a fairytale-like sense of wonder. Josh Urban Davis’ cozy jackalopes nestled under a fortress in “The Kindred” celebrate the joy of finding one’s tribe. “Mutated Swan After a Sentimental Breakup,” a surreal sculpture by neuroscientist Pablo Garcia Lopez, juxtaposes silk-casting with psychological and cultural references.
Wild and Domestic Animals
In her Pitbull Flower Power series, Sophie Gamand photographs at-risk dogs crowned with roses, giving them a saintly aura to challenge negative stereotypes. Chelsea Lewinski’s vibrant watercolor “Allies” explores the intersections between human and animal, reality and dreams. “Empire,” a hyper-real painting by Michael Caines of a cat lounging on Marie Antoinette’s bed, investigates the gap between poverty and wealth. “Dog Pile,” an assemblage of canine figurines by Debra Broz, makes a layered statement about consumer culture and the resonance of found objects. Hannah Fridholm explores identity and transformation in her totemic sculpture, “She Runs with the Wolves of the Night.” In “One Man’s Trash,” Judith Klausner encourages viewers to find hidden beauty in a possum eating leftover lo mein. Deborah Simon’s detailed sculpture of a flayed rabbit and Gren Meinzen’s whimsical drawing of a decomposing opossum tread a similar line between the beautiful and the grotesque.
Marine Life and Subterraneans
In the tradition of Jules Vern’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Claire Remsberg presents a mysterious world beneath the surface. Inspired by childhood adventures near Puget Sound, her pterodactyl-like figures plunge into watery darkness, hovering between past and present, reality and dreams. “Glacier Melt,” a sculpture from recycled glass by Jenna Efrien of polar bears drifting on melting ice, illustrates the effects of rising sea levels on arctic wildlife. “(C2H4)n,” a mixed-media painting by Eugen Fomenko, shows the impact of plastic pollution on a defenseless sea turtle. Jeremiah Amao’s psychedelic illustration, “True Jelly,” and Jessie Rodriguez’s linocut animation, “Fish Dream,” offer playful views of aquatic life. “Vision,” an evocative new-media installation by Tonya Thornton, reinterprets prehistoric cave paintings with 21st-century tools.
All images published with permission of the artist(s); feature photo for Creatures: Mythical to Mundane by David Schwartz.