Matthew Palladino works primarily with watercolors, a medium which “has a bit of a mind of its own. You can guide it but you can never truly control it” as he puts it. Using the fragility, delicacy, and the (literal) fluidity of the medium, Palladino creates rich and intricate collage-like imagery. Palladino draws inspiration from cartoons, graffiti, psychedelic art from San Francisco where he grew up, as well as contemporary art. Palladino combines a bright and playful color scheme with detached figures and feelings of existential dread.

Matthew Palladino (b. 1985, San Francisco, CA) graduated from the California College of Arts. Palladino currently lives and works in La Paz, Bolivia and his work has been exhibited widely in USA, Europe, and Asia with his most recent exhibition taking place at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND in Tokyo. His artwork is in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

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Known for his monochromatic illustrations in black and white of anthropomorphic cartoon figures, Ryan Travis Christian takes inspiration and his visual style from classic American popular culture. Working primarily with graphite on paper, Christian creates humorous scenes with an enormous attention to detail – and characters that easily could have been sidekicks for Popeye the Sailor Man or Mickey Mouse. His work contains both a deep and nostalgic love for the characters, as well as an inherent criticism towards the subject matter.

Ryan Travis Christian (b. 1983, Oakland, CA) is a visual artist based in Chicago. He holds a BFA from Northern Illinois University, and most recently his work has been shown among other places at the 2023 Western Exhibitions Drawing Biennial. 

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