Recommended Artist: Alyssa Monks

  Born 1977 in Ridgewood, New Jersey, Alyssa Monks began oil painting as a child. She studied at The New School in New York and Montclair State University and earned her B.A. from Boston College in 1999. During this time she studied painting at Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence. She went on to earn her M.F.A from the New York Academy of Art, Graduate School of Figurative Art in 2001.

  She writes, "When I began painting the human body, I was obsessed with it and needed to create as much realism as possible. I chased realism until it began to unravel and deconstruct itself. I am exploring the possibility and potential where representational painting and abstraction meet - if both can coexist in the same moment."

  I find that notion very interesting. Realistic, yet abstract art. What you see is real, yet not quite. You are amazed, then taking two steps closer, begin to notice that the painting is merely strokes and dabs of colours which make an illusion of reality through your eyes.

I strongly suggest you seeing her full body of work via this link:

http://www.alyssamonks.com/