(read) the fine print
chicago-based artist hiroshi ariyama is today's etsy find! born in japan, hiroshi spent part of his childhood in honolulu and later studied printmaking at uh before moving to the midwest to finish his fine arts degree. a few years ago, the former graphic designer & art director began experimenting with fine art screen printing resulting in a buzzworthy new collection, our city, our neighborhood, that documents everyday moments and architectural icons in the windy city.
hidden amongst the chicago cityscapes and lake fronts are images that could easily double as glimpses into island life. i love the saturated color which can be credited to the intricate layers hand screened and based on one of hiroshi's original photographs. many of the prints remind me of looking at a negative in glorious technicolor which is, alas, an experience falling by the wayside in this age of instant digital snaps.
the good news is that hiroshi recently began work on a honolulu series which he hopes to show in hawaii when the project is completed!
chicago readers may want to click over to the event page to find upcoming shows while the rest of us can scoop up limited edition, hand pulled original prints (under $200) and archival prints ($25 to $45) of the current collection over in hiroshi's etsy shop.