Really? Really? These completely blew me away today. I think I've seen his work before in a Newsweek illustration [or some other magazine of that ilk] but wow. Wagner creates these intrically detailed collages using dollar bills. [That's got to add up!] These are so clever and both compositionally and conceptually interesting! Take a look at Mark Wagner's website called Smoke In My Dreams. 

From Wagner's website:
"STATEMENT ON COLLAGE WITH CURRENCY
The one dollar bill is the most ubiquitous piece of paper in America. Collage asks the question: what might be done to make it something else? It is a ripe material: intaglio printed on sturdy linen stock, covered in decorative filigree, and steeped in symbolism and concept. Blade and glue transform it-reproducing the effects of tapestries, paints, engravings, mosaics, and computers-striving for something bizarre, beautiful, or unbelievable... the foreign in the familiar."

Thanks Scholatic Arts Magazine... both for showing me a new artist and providing an issue on Chuck Close while I'm doing a project based on Chuck Close. 

YES! I finally finished some monsters... I love them all! And if you love them too, you can come out to Clarence on March 5th [this Saturday] and buy your favorite. 

Taking photos of my work really makes me wish I had a nicer camera. When my uncle was visiting he let me borrow his Nikon D40 and those pictures turned out great. Even at work I've been spoiled with a nice Canon Rebel [something, something... I can't remember off the top my head what kind, but it's nice!]. One of these days I'll be able to invest in something nicer than my old PhotoShot that is almost, but not quite, broken. These pictures aren't the greatest... which is not all the camera's fault. I didn't have a very good lighting set up either. Oh well, you get the idea of what these guys look like... and they are cute. I went a little crazy with furry yarns this past week... which you'll see when you click the little "read more" link below...