KOSAR at MASK-FEST Sept 6-8

Visit me at MASK-FEST held at HORRORHOUND Weekend from September 6-8 in Indianapolis, IN at the Marriott Indianapolis East Hotel.  I will have several of my masks and sculptures for sale, as well some prints of my artwork available.  PLUS, traveling with me is my one and only BOARIS FRANKENSWINE!  So come and meet me and Boaris in person! I am really excited to attend my first ever Mask Fest.  There will be many amazing artists in the industry there as well, including the amazing Jordu Schell, Ed Edmunds, Robert Kurtzman, and my Face Off friends House, Becky Ingram, and Autumn Cook.  Hope to see you there!

 

Mask Fest poster image courtesy Mask Fest.

Boaris Frankenswine Design & Sculpt © 2011 J. Anthony Kosar & Kosart Effects Studios, LLC.

Boaris Frankenswine Photo by Bear McGivney.

Kosar's FRANKENSWINE in SPECTRUM 19 & at Live Show!

After entering Spectrum over the past few years, I finally got a piece in!  Boaris Frankenswine, my life-size monster pig sculpture was accepted into SPECTRUM 19: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art!!  This annual book features the best of the best, artists who I have long admired and studied their work.  I am so incredibly honored and humbled to be included amongst such talent!  As I do all forms of art, many of my paintings and illustrations have received recognition in various international and national competitions, but it is very encouraging that my sculpture now has been recognized.  Thank you so much to Spectrum and all the accomplished judges for this honor!  Be sure to order your copy HERE!  And thank you Bear McGivney for the beautiful pictures he took of my Boaris!

Back in Spring 2012, I exhibited my work at the Spectrum Fantastic Art LIVE in Kansas City, and had Boaris Frankenswine on display.  So far, it was my favorite of all conventions and trade shows I have been to as I had a blast bumping shoulders with some of the finest artists in the industry.  Boaris received a warm welcome from artists and fans alike, and many visitors to the show said Boaris was one of their favorite pieces they saw all weekend!  There is nothing better than having artists like Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Thomas Kuebler, Tim Bruckner, Travis Louie, Michael Whelan, and more stop to see my monster pig!  Here are some pictures from the event (click to view larger):

Boaris guarding my booth at Spectrum Fantastic Art LIVE 2012.

With legendary artists Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell.

With the amazing artists Brom and his wife Laurielee.

With master painter Donato Giancola.

With internationally renowned artist Iain McCaig.

With Spectrum Grand Master Michael Whelan.

With talented illustrator Mark Nelson of Grazing Dinosaur Press.

With Bobby Chiu, Kei Acedera, and Peter Chan of Imaginism Studios.

Bobby is holding my Squiddles mask with a custom paint job, given to Bobby at the show.

With the "Sculptor of the Bizarre" Thomas Kuebler.

With master sculptor Tim Bruckner.

With monster artist Travis Louie.

With fellow Presidential Monster artist Jason Edmiston.

With my dad, my right hand man!

If you missed the first Spectrum Fantastic Art LIVE, be sure to mark your calendars for Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 2 in Kansas City May 17 to 19, 2013.  More info HERE.  I will be exhibiting there again, bring along a whole new body of work consisting of original sculptures and paintings.  And who knows, Boaris may make another appearance... we'll see ;)

Boaris Frankenswine © J. Anthony Kosar.

Boaris Frankenswine Photo by Bear McGivney.

Spectrum 19 © Cathy Fenner and Arnie Fenner / Spectrum Fantastic Art, LLC.

Artwork in pics © respective artists.

Featured in Portes Magazine!

Over the summer, I was featured in the first issue of Portes Magazine, a biannual "a celebration of the Best of Everything Greek. Everywhere. Open Doors."  I have always been proud of my Greek heritage, as I am 50% Greek on my Mother's side, and feel honored to be included in the first issue of this beautiful bold magazine!  Thank you to my friend Anthe Mitrakos for an amazing article!  Check out the Portes Magazine website, and if you are Greek, or just love Greek culture, be sure to get a subscription, you won't be disappointed!

Here is my 4 page Article:

(Click images to Enlarge)

Artwork © J. Anthony Kosar.

Portes Magazine & Article © Portes Magazine.

First Annual MALEFICIUM Dark Art Exhibition - Opening Reception Oct 29

Kosart Effects Studios and Gallery cordially invites you to the
First Annual MALEFICIUM Dark Art Exhibition

a Halloween Themed Art Show featuring Award Winning Artists of All Media!!  Artist List Below!

Please join us for the inaugural event at Kosart Effects Studios & Gallery:
Exhibition Opening and Artist Reception
Saturday, October 29, 2011, 6:30pm to Midnight
Costumes and Creative Attire Optional.

The MALEFICIUM Exhibition runs
October 29th through December 2nd.
Gallery hours (Oct 30 to Dec 2nd) by Appointment Only.
Please call to schedule an appointment: 630.310.8353


At Kosart Effects Studios & Gallery
760 Burr Oak Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
Click HERE for Directions

Exhibiting Artists in the First Annual

MALEFICIUM Dark Art Exhibition 

include:

Tony Akins 
Kurt Anderson
Charlie Athanas
Kyle Bice
Brian Busch
Melita “MissMonster” Curphy
Dave Dorman
Ray Frenden
Aron Gagliardo
Ashton Gallagher
Tom Herzberg
Douglas Klauba
Kenn Kooi
J. Anthony Kosar
Rich Kryczka
Larkin
Joseph Lester
Darick Maasen
Menton Matthews III
Matthew McCarty
Aaron Miller
Bill Reinhold
Chad Savage
Jason Seiler 
Tim Shumate
Ben Templesmith
Jill Thompson
Bill Ystrom

 Click HERE for Artist Bios!!

The Maleficium Show is sponsored by the HorrorSociety.com

 ____________________________

MALEFICIUM is a Latin term meaning "mischief" and is used to describe black magic and the dark arts.  The name was selected to represent this exhibit as a metaphor for the Halloween inspired artwork.


The Image used (above) for the First Annual MALEFICIUM: Dark Art Exhibition:

Nigredo Two
 by Menton Matthews III

18" by 24" Oil on Wood Panel,
Published in Ars Memoria #1.
This painting will be on display for the duration of the 2011 MALEFICIUM Show.
Image courtesy exhibiting artist Menton Matthews III.

Nigredo Two © Menton Matthews III.

Maleficium Exhibition © Kosart Effects Studios, LLC. 

All Rights Reserved.

A Letter from Sara Karloff...

There was a great article on Trendhunter.com about by Boaris Frankenswine HERE. I can't believe how much attention he has received between online forums and news sites and television news segments! However, of all the attention and feedback, I can't tell you how thrilled I was when I received a letter back from Sara Karloff, the only child of the legendary Boris Karloff, about my Boaris Frankenswine. Here is what she said:

Dear Mr. Kosar:

I loved the photos of your Boaris Frankenswine It is such a creative and original idea and you have executed it brilliantly. I hope it did very well in the auction and with the public…it certainly should have.

Thank you so much for sharing it with me and for selecting my father as your subject.

Sara Karloff

Thank you Ms Karloff for the kind words and validation of my tribute to your father!

Boaris Frankenswine Design, Sculpt, & Paint by J. Anthony Kosar © 2011 J. Anthony Kosar.
Sculpted over “Pigs on Parade” Pig Form by Acme Design, Inc.
Studio Photo of Boaris by Bear McGivney.
Quote from personal letter sent to J. Anthony Kosar from Sara Karloff.

BOARIS FRANKENSWINE Auction Follow-up

I've been a little behind on my posts, so I am just now getting to a follow-up entry on the Havana Nights Live Auction & Benefits and my final farewell to my creation, Boaris Frankenswine. It was already a crazy night, rushing home from C2E2 where I was the Blick Art Material's featured artist sculpting live. I will admit, I was a little tense as I knew what was to come, the auction. Being an artist, and spending so much time on my creations (in Boaris Frankenswine's case: 2.5 months), I do have a hard time giving up my work. I put a piece of myself in every work of art that I create, my heart and soul, and blood, sweat, and tears (in a metaphorical sense of course), pushing myself to out-due all the work I've done previous. This was definitely the case with Boaris Frankenswine, as I not only pushed myself to create what I saw in my head, but I went way beyond the expectations of this project completely re-sculpting the Acme pig-form instead of only painting the pig as did the other artists.


Long story short, and a couple drinks later, Boaris was next on the auction block, in fact he was the first of the pigs up for auction! They said that initially Boaris was scheduled to go last, but they decided to put him first to get the ball rolling, get higher bids for the other pigs, and so that the bidders wouldn't hold out on the other pigs to wait for Boaris. It was a smart move as all the pigs' biddings far exceeded the expectations of the event organizers! Boaris started at $500, and kept climbing higher and higher! With each bid, the crowd went wild, until the McKendry family won the bid at $5,500, one of the highest ticket items for the night! It was such a rush and a relief when it was over. Boaris found a great home at the McKendry house, as Mr. McKendry is a collector of pop culture memorabilia, including comic books, so I know that Boaris will be taken care of. Plus, it feels really great knowing that my creation helped raise quite a bit of money for the private St.Alphonsus/St. Patrick's Grade School in Lemont, IL, and is a contribution that will not only help the current students, but students from generations to come. Definitely a cool growing experience!

Here I am with the proud new parents of Boaris Frankenswine, Mr. and Mrs. McKendry:

Here I am with the organizer of the event and all the piggy-mania, Mrs. Lisa Simone Porter:
Boaris Frankenswine Design, Sculpt, & Paint by J. Anthony Kosar © 2011 J. Anthony Kosar.
Sculpted over “Pigs on Parade” Pig Form by Acme Design, Inc.
Studio Photo of Boaris and Kosar by Bear McGivney.
All other photos by Kosart Effects Studios, LLC.
Other pigs © the respective artists.

Boaris Frankenswine ... "IT'S ALIVE!!!"

Here he is.... creation complete... and.... ALIVE!!!! Meet Boaris Frankenswine (More detailed photos below). Very similar to Chicago's "Cows on Parade," the "Pigs on Parade" is for a fund-raising benefit for St.Alphonsus/St. Patrick's Grade School in Lemont, IL, and will be auctioned off (auction information below) at their March 19th Gala event. For the event, 10 pig forms were created by Acme Design, Inc in Elgin, IL led by Clint Borucki, sculpted by Jon Olimb, molded by Dean Millermon, and cast by Kenn Kooi. 9 artists were then selected to paint the pigs in various themes, such as sports, music, etc. I came up with the idea of doing a Boaris Frankenswine as a tribute to the great Boris Karloff, and of course, I couldn't just paint the pig...

GIVE BOARIS FRANKENSWINE A HOME:

Being that this was a complete construction sculpt in Apoxie Sculpt, while hand-painting the final sculpture, there are no molds or castings of this sculpture, making Boaris Frankenswine a one-of-a-kind custom work of art. He is the only one, and as there are no molds, he can not be replicated or reproduced. If you are interested in owning this one-of-a-kind 30"w x 30.5"h x 32"d custom life-size hand-sculpted and hand-painted Boaris Frankenswine sculpture by J. Anthony Kosar, you can take part in the auction without even being at the event. Just contact Lisa Simone Porter at 630-235-3466 or by email: Lsimoneporter@aaart.edu on or before the event on Saturday March 19, 2011. According to Lisa Simone Porter, you will be connected to the auction by phone, able to bid live, and possibly win this original work of art, all while helping out a good cause. More info on the event HERE

Monster and it's Maker:

I want to include a special thank you to Bear McGivney for capturing and archiving my Boaris Frankenswine sculpture in the most beautiful way, capturing the mood, color, and personality of Boaris Frankenswine, and especially for documenting every sculpted and painted detail that I strived to include. Thanks Bear!! Here are more of his amazing photographs:

(click pictures to view larger)

Keep posted for the time lapse process video of Boaris Frankenswine, from concept to completion. The video will contain my Photoshop concept painting process (in screen capture time-lapse) through the different directions Boaris Frankenswine could have gone before bringing him to a traditional Boris Karloff look. It will then include a time-lapse of me carving into the original pig form, sculpting Boaris onto the original pig form with Apoxie Sculpt, and then finally the painting process to bring Boaris to life. I am hoping to finish this video within the next month between projects. Until then, you can see some process pictures below and more on my website: HERE

Here is the concept drawing of Boaris Frankenswine, and several options on how ridiculous, goofy, traditional, and serious I could have made him before pulling him back to see what Boris Karloff would have looked like as a pig. The larger, top 3/4 and side views are the final concepts I ended with, but still took on some minor changes in the sculpting stages. Ultimately, I gave him the name "Boaris Frankenswine" as a tribute to Boris Karloff.... these were painted quickly in Photoshop over a photograph of the original Acme pig form:

Unprimed / Unpainted Final Raw Sculpture:

ABOUT THE PROCESS:

I carved into the original Acme pig form to remove the smile and the bulk in its cheeks, and also removed the initial ears. The original Acme pig form is made of primed urethane foam-filled rotocast resin. Then, I completely sculpted Boaris Frankenswine in Apoxie Sculpt over the entire Acme pig form, finishing one section at a time, and re-sculpting new ears. The eye balls are the only part of the original pig form that is still visible. The dimensions of Boaris Frankenswine are 30"w x 30.5"h x 32"d. I also used bead foam that I carved into a flat-top head piece, some aluminum armature wire I formed into 164 small staples and 9 large staples, 4 stainless steel screws, 2 galvanized steel pipes and unions for the neck bolts, and a plastic button. About 44 lbs of Apoxie Sculpt was added to the already 15 lb pig form to create Boaris Frankenswine, then painted with acrylic paints. Being that this was a complete construction sculpt in Apoxie Sculpt, while hand-painting the final sculpture, there are no molds or castings of this sculpture, making Boaris Frankenswine a one-of-a-kind custom work of art. He is the only one, and as there are no molds, he can not be replicated or reproduced.

(click pictures to view larger)

Original "Pigs on Parade" Pig Form by Acme Design, Inc:

Boaris Frankenswine Creation Process:
You can see the NBC 5 Chicago interview with Boaris Frankenswine and myself. (This was shot and aired while Boaris was still in the prelimiary painting stages)...

Also, read my interview in an article on Lemont.Patch.com about the event HERE.

More info on the Pigs on Parade HERE

Boaris Frankenswine Design, Sculpt, & Paint by J. Anthony Kosar © 2011 J. Anthony Kosar.
Sculpted over “Pigs on Parade” Pig Form by Acme Design, Inc.
Finished Studio Photos by Bear McGivney.
Finished Studio Photos © 2011 Artist/Sculptor J. Anthony Kosar & Photographer Bear McGivney.
News Segment & Interview © NBC 5 Chicago
Article Quote © Lemont.Patch.com