Meet COSMOS Artist, Andres Guzman

Meet Andres Guzman, an illustrator and designer from who graduated from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. His work features graphic shapes, iconic compositions, and bold colors! If you want to see more his work take a look at his website, andresguzman.com and blog, allmypistachios.tumblr.com or find him on Instagram @andresitoguzman, and don’t forget to check out his depiction of Leo Minor in the upcoming Cosmos exhibition, opening October 30th!

For the COSMOS Tarot & Oracle Deck, Andres illustrated a piece for the constellation Leo Minor. In the deck, it represents the Three card and is an Earth element.

---

Leo Minor
Budding Talent - Person in Training

Known as the “Lesser Lion,” Leo Minor fits in well with its surrounding menagerie of Leo, Ursa Major, Lynx, and Cancer. Lions are powerful, confident, and ambitious animals. Leo Minor is a small constellation,  resembling a young lion training for the day when he takes charge of his own pride. When this card appears in a reading, a person may be too inexperienced at the moment to show the world all they can offer. Others may not see the promise they hold for the future quite yet, but the potential for greatness is certainly there.

This card references a budding ace, a person-in-training, or a novice with big ambitions.  It draws attention to the unique abilities that young potential will bring to the greater community in time.

Reversed, Leo Minor references the feelings of inadequacy or jealousy a person may feel when comparing themselves against a practiced individual, professional, or person that has gained notoriety for the same interests. Remember that each constellation in the sky earned its place in its own time.

You can find out more information about this project on the Light Grey Website and pre-order the Tarot & Oracle Deck on the Light Grey Shop here:

http://shop.lightgreyartlab.com/product/pre-order-cosmos-tarot-oracle-deck

Thanks for all your support!

In Place Sneak Peek

This August at Light Grey Art Lab, we are celebrating the summer 'sense of travel,' our yearning for new destinations, and curiosity about mysterious places around the world, as we gear up for our newest exhibition opening, In Place.

In Place incorporates the work of fifty concept artist, background and gaming artists, illustrators, and designers from all over the work to collaborate on a awe-inspiring and sublime exhibition and limited edition artist book project.

Here is a preview and the preorder for the In Place book

And a sneak peek at some of the amazing artwork:


Chiang Mai Jungle, Thailand Sunrise by Angela An
Cenote, Yucatan Peninsula Cenotes by Juan Carlos Barquet
Congo, Congo by Francesca Buchko
Northridge Shopping Mall, Paris by Andres Guzman

Each artist has done an incredible job capturing these larger than life destinations, such as Chief Mountain in Montana, the Illuminated Caves in Okinawa, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the icy tundra of Antarctica. Each piece is accompanied by a written piece about the folklore, history, 'magical healing powers,' influence, and dwellers of each of these magnificent places. We cannot wait to share with you!

To see more information about the opening reception see our facebook event!

Andres Guzman! (And all of the things that make him special!)

Over the past few months we have held several classes, such as Handmade Typography, Portraiture in Ink, and Character and Concept, taught by an important member of our Light Grey Art Lab faculty. We would like to take this time to introduce and celebrate Andres Guzman as an amazing teacher and as a local illustrator and typography artist.



Andres Guzman is originally from Lima, Peru, and spend a majority of his childhood in Denver, Colorado. A few years ago he graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a major in Illustration with an interest in Graphic Design. Since graduating, his has been creating art as a full time freelance illustrator, under the art collective Steak Mob, working for companies such as Wired Magazine, Mountain Dew, Nickelodeon, and Vice Magazine, just to name a few. He has also been published in Front Magazine, Thrasher Magazine, The Washington Square Review, and Vitamn. He is extremely versed in concept and client based work, creative teaching, and multimedia projects.

As a freelance illustrator, Andres is constantly at work. Sometimes, spending an entire day learning how to perfect an ear, an arm, or a letter, always trying to improve his craft and versatility; His severe focus and passion for the creative process, and his love for form, type, and illustration has pushed him to where he is today.




" I try not to limit myself by any specific visual style as I believe there are too many beautiful methods and processes in the world of art to just settle on one."- Andres

As a teacher, Andres is extremely engaging. He sets the tone for his classes by playing relaxing music, talking about technique, and working by your side on his own illustrations. The entire class is about making, process, practice, hands-on type, and great conversation.

Although most of his classes are primarily studio and work time, he does a great job of sharing inspiring images, techniques for specific materials, and drawing demonstrations that make character and type look incredibly easy.

As a coordinator and student of Andres', I appreciate his organic classroom style, throwing structure out the window, and reacting one on one to students needs, interests, questions, and styles. It is great to be surrounded by someone so skillful and personable.



Thank you, Andres, for inspiring all of us to work harder.


This upcoming Sunday, November 18th from 12:30 to 3pm, Andres is teaching our second Handmade typography class. Using traditional ink and brush materials, this class in intended to push the envelope for creative design and typography. He will lead you though the basics of type, and catch everyone one up to developing letter forms, both though form and play. This class will delve further into type, and is a class appropriate for all skill levels and disciplines. I encourage you to all come and meet Andres, and experience his teaching style and all of his great type advice. This class costs $25.00 per person, or $20.00 each with a friend.


Blog post written by our awesome Light Grey Art Lab gallery manager, Jenny Bookler

Andres Guzman's hand-done type class

The Hand-Done Type Class with Andres Guzman

We want to send out a huge 'thank you' to everyone that came to (the ever-amazing) Andres Guzman's Hand Done Type workshop! With a class full of 16 eager artsits, Andres gave demos, advice and hands-on help for creating and working with hand done typography.

The workshop was set amidst the awesome images of the Expletive Typography Exhibition, and Andres led everyone through a series of techniques, methods and styles. Andres was quick to give credit to some of his favorite (local and international) masters of type while flipping through his own stash of inspirational slides.

Andres talked a little bit about street art and graffiti as inspiration, black letter and script, amongst others, and led the group in a series of mark making exercises with a huge variety of materials.








We are looking forward to Andres's other upcoming workshops - including his Portraiture workshop, a Landscape Workshop, a Character & Concept workshop, and a to-be-announced Hand Done Type 2 class! All of these are coming up over the next month and a half!

Also, we're doing something new for Andres's classes that we're really excited about; drop-in classes! In addition to pre-registering on the Light Grey Art Lab website, you can now just show up to classes designated as a Drop-In class! Not every class is Drop-In, so please check the course description first!

And even better, taking a workshop is fun but it's more fun with a friend! So we're offering a discount to anyone who brings their best pal to one of Andres' classes! Each workshop is normally $25, but bring a friend and admission drops to $20 each! So you both win!

We're hoping it makes our workshops fun, full and really easy for people to join us on a weekend!









The class was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and we're super thankful for everyone that came out and spent time with all of us. Andres, you're amazing. We couldn't have done it without you!

More photos from the workshop can be found HERE on our flicker set! And take a look at Andres's other work here. What a guy!

And don't forget to sign up for Andres' next workshop, Portraiture!

Andres Guzman teaches us some hand-lettering skills. - SUN SEPT 16.

Andres Guzman, one of our favorite local artists is teaching all of us some sweet type techniques this upcoming Sunday September 16, just two days after the opening reception of the Expletive Typography Show.

Here are some examples of Andres's great variety of styles and a sneak peek of what's to come at the workshop! The workshop is from 12:30 - 3pm and is $25 of coaching, technique sharing and inspiration! Bring a friend and you can each get in for $20. (Gotta love when friends get you discounts!)

You can sign up online or show up at the door!

Please help us spread the word! We're excited for Andres to join us while we have the super inspiring posters surrounding us in the gallery. It should be a lot of fun!

Here's a link to the event online with details!