 "Old Yella"Oil on Panel - 24" x 70" - 2015 |  Pickens_Aaron_1.jpgOil on Panel - 24" x 24" - 2015 |  "Western Faux"Oil on Panel - 24" x 24" - 2015 |
|---|---|---|
 "Da Debacle"Oil on Panel - 24"x 24" - 2014 |  "Da Show Installation" |  "I Don't Know, Dino Dough"Oil on Panel - 12" x 12" 2014 |
 "Dam It"Oil on Panel - 12" x 12" 2015 |  "Why the Hell Not"Oil on Panel 6" x 6" 2015 |  "Dessert Storm"Oil on Panel - 6"x8" - 2014 |
 "2008"Oil on Panel (Diptych) - 7"x10" 2014 |  "God Damn Duck Pond"Digital Painting Transferred to Wood 14" x 85.5" 2011 |  "Wild"Digital Painting 14" x 35" 2011 |
 "Science"Digital Painting 14" x 35" 2011 |  "The Abject"Digital Illustration 11" x 17" 2012 |  "Frankenstein"Digital Illustration 5" x 5" 2013 |
 "The Office"Digital Illustration 12" x 24" 2013 |  "Bah"Vector Illustration 5" x 5" 2012 |  "Concept Illustration"Digital Illustration Property of Ancient Sheep 2013 |
 "Evil Bear Concept Designs"Digital Illustration Property of Ancient Sheep 2012 |  "Mole Word Icon"Digital Illustration Property of Ancient Sheep 2012 |  "Greely Myatt Poster Design"Digital 11" x 8.5" 2014 |
 "Milling Painting"Digital Photograph for Edinboro University |  "Ashley Garner Exhibition"Digital Photograph for Edinboro University |  "The Scientists"Digital Editing and Modeling Photograph by Bianca Garza for Phantasmagoria 2013 |
 "Connection 7"Maya and Photoshop for Phantasmagoria 2013 |  "This Was a Stupid Idea"Oil on Panel 10" x 32" 2013 |  "Woodcock Dam"Plein Air Oil Painting 6" x 6" 2015 |
 "Erie Wildlife Refuge"Plein Air Oil Painting 6" x 6" 2015 |  "Figure Drawing"Charcoal on Paper 15" x 15" 2014 |  "Self Portrait"Oil on Panel 6" x 6" 2015 |
about
"Golden Planet" is the culmination of Phantasmagoria's musical journey.
members:
Dom Gray: Drums
Aaron Pickens: Guitars
Aaron Valdiviez: Bass
Ryan Wagner: Keys
Audio recorded, and mixed by Aaron Pickens.
Mastered by Joel Wanasek
Artwork: Aaron Pickens
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Click on the image to view the short on vimeo.com.
Toys facilitated my imagination and desire to create at an early age. The act of play was a catalyst for me to pursue the arts, and instilled in me a curious enthusiasm that has consistently fueled my work to this day. Therefore, I decided to honor the act of play as an important influence on creativity by staging dioramas that depict whimsical scenarios.
These scenarios are assembled in a manner that a child could have presumably erected from objects associated with playtime. Each arrangement is primarily governed by a simple interest in color and form, all the while implying an absurd narrative. Once I am satisfied with the formal arrangement and narrative of each diorama, I begin the process of building the image with paint. I always seek to create immersive paintings that emphasize light and the materiality of the depicted doodads.
Furthermore, these narratives provide the opportunity for my own observances of the world to be subtly expressed in a lighthearted manner. But above all else, I maintain the importance of having fun throughout the duration of the process.
[drops mic]
