The Abstract and the Figurative

Joey Lala 

Joey Lala is a painter from Chicago working primarily with acrylics. He obtained his degree in graphic design from Columbia College Chicago, but has had a love for art music and street culture since his teens. He now paints on canvas, wood, heavy stock paper, and just about anything that paint adheres too. The characters and objects Lala creates emit his dark sense of humor and contain a raw sense of urban decay, mutated with a harsh softness. They are inspired by punk rock, graffiti, skateboarding, and record cover art, but have an uncertain depth and mysterious energy that comes from Lala's desire to master his line work and layering techniques. His ample use of colors correlate with his subject matter in the same way a composer leads his band, making his work uniquely inviting to the eye while intriguing the viewer to see more. 

Spencer Rogers

Chicago artist Spencer Rogers' abstract paintings are a visual unification of color, gesture, and music. Exuberant, yet restrained, he creates with more faith than force allowing the sound to be his guide. The energy from the music creates movement, and the time between each layer leads him to discovery. Rogers' paintings explore human emotion by showing rather than telling, acting as an expression of the subconscious, not the mind. They reveal the power of an improvised gesture, a fleeting moment where the body separates from thought, and creativity flourishes.Rogers examines his large compositions for moments worth highlighting, in the same way a soloist discovers perfect moments achieved while improvising. By incorporating the latest technology and utilizing macro photography, he created a series entitled Modern Abstractions. These images capture the often-overlooked moments, amplifying minute details into grandiose images.