Flights of Fancy
Touch the SkyWhat a pleasure to discover a new artist whose work very much appeals to my own aesthetic. Dreamlike and surrealist, fanciful and full of whimsy and strangeness and visual puns, Catrin Welz-Stein beckons one to step into another world of the imagination.
Originally working as a graphic designer in Germany, Welz-Stein now lives in Malaysia and, inspired by her young children, switched to illustration three years ago. She creates her images digitally, collaging old illustrations and photographs, blending them seamlessly into fairytale works of art. Her colour palette is muted and delicately tinted with a dirty edge; the grungy textures add depth and grittiness.
Heaven and EarthIt is no surprise to learn that she is inspired by fantasy, children’s stories, the medieval age, Jugendstil, folklore and Surrealism, and by artists such as Otto Dix, Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Magritte and Botticelli.
Who needs realism after all? There’s plenty of that around to drag us back to earth with a sudden jolt. Float away whenever you have the chance …
For more, visit Welz-Stein’s blog or Red Bubble gallery.
Madonna of the Tree
Sunshine Tattoo
Snow White
Summer Dreaming