Today’s artist discovery is Alexa Meade. Alexa is an artist based in D.C. that combines portriature, painting, photography and installation to create a unique style of art. From her website, “Rather than creating representational paintings on a flat canvas, Alexa Meade creates her representational paintings directly on top of the physical subjects that she is referencing. When photographed, the representational painting and the subject being referenced appear to be one and the same as the 3D space of her painted scenes becomes optically compressed into a 2D plane.”
Above is a photograph of one of her pieces. Below is the same piece from another angle.
The guy in the picture above is actually a real person! Alexa applies the paint directly to the man and his surroundings, and when photographed, it appears to be a painted portrait! Here are some more examples:
Can you imagine seeing this guy on your way home from work? How confused would you be? His back is even painted. Check it out:
Oh don’t mind me, just have a train to catch. No big deal.
I believe this is a truly one of a kind style of art. I’ve never seen anything like it. Alexa blends many different styles of art together to create her own unique and individual style. In my opinion, she is truly an innovator.
OK–that is just too weird. interesting to see, but weird!
Creative and great imagination. It wll be nice if you are the model.
Wow this is really great . congrats. it looks very cool
That is phenomenal.
Um…wow! I love art that skews/challenges perspective — this is TOTALLY cool!
🙂
very beatifull pics i like it..
Wow! Very cool illusion. I bet it would be really amazing to see one of her exhibits in person.
Love this! A truly amazing artist, indeed! I also really appreciate the patience of the people who posed for her & their willingness to be her canvas.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Beautiful. Also good to see great art that can be appreciated by all from children to art critics.
creative ❤
Wow!!! Amazing what you can do with talent and creativity!
I saw about her works in Yahoo news first… It is indeed amazing…..The first picture is flawless…. Iy’s like a 3D painting!
Wonderful, super, extraordinary.
Congratulations on the great work …
that’s totally amazing. i am virtually shaking your hand. these are beautiful, cool, damn great.
Goodness, you’re fantastic. Wow! I’m impressed. So real, so touching, so thought provoking. Man, loved this blog.
http://valentinedefrancis.blogspot. com
Wow! KOALEE is truly amazed… very creative and original. I would love to see this in person. Simply AMAZING!
wow …really interesting. keep it up!
Very interesting bringing together of different installation and art techniques – amusing and thought provoking. Very enjoyable, many thanks
wow …i liked it , very innovative n brilliant . keep it up!
Wow! I love when artists are able to do something surprising and new. These are beautiful paintings, I mean photos, I mean paintings.
Amazing, ……… Highly absorbed in Art. Thanks
This is very different! Amazing… truly looks like a painting!
She’s definitely amazingly talented and unique!
Gosh, what an imagination!
I love it! I hope that installation gets brought to NYC.
This is amazing! So glad that you posted this!
Wow. SO talented. Very cool!
adahliavolk.wordpress.com
this is awesome 🙂
Does she paint their clothes etc? I need to see this process!
I remember seeing Alexa Meade’s works in a newspaper article a few months ago. Thought it was really amazing how she combines reality and 2D in a form I guess you would say is sort of an optical illusion when it’s in it’s final outcome.
It’s definitely quite refreshing to see a style so wonderful as this.
i do love arts but now i’m stuck in law degree.. not even a chart..
These are fabulous! I find these every bit as unique and provocative as Liu Bolin. Thanks for sharing!
WOW. THIS IS awesome!!!!!!!!
Hello there!
This was an incredible post…and such an amazing artist. I have seen great photography and fantastic paintings, but never anything like this. Alexa Meade has shown great talent, and she has definitely caught my attention. Such a great topic you’ve found, carrsk! The last bit of the subway – genius, haha! You took the words from my mouth naming this artist an innovator. It has left me in awe!
Best wishes,
Simon
roadtostanford.wordpress.com
Wow!! This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a while!!!!
Very interesting, and something I’ve never seen done with photography. I’ve seen entire stage “performances” of people painted and posed like classic art. Eventually, someone came up with the idea to have them move a bit. The inspiration? Audiences didn’t realize that there were actually people on stage, and that was supposed to be the big point.
Holy, that is amazing! I really hope this artist (or someone who does something similar) can have an exhibition in Toronto soon!
Amazing. How brilliant to take photo-realism the other way and turn it upside down…thanks for sharing!
Interesting to see the opposite effect of which people try to create when painting. Instead of portraying something on paper/canvas as tangible they are taking something tangible and creating an illusion. Very well done and great find. 🙂
Beautiful. Love the combination of artistic disciplines in her work and will definitely be checking out more of her work.
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Wow, this is insane! Definitely have never seen anything like it.
This is just too brilliant!!
I think it’s beautiful, thank you for sharing.
And congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
wow! this is amazing! realy!
Incredible!! Love it!
Wow, these are really amazing, thanks for sharing!
This is so interesting and wild! She reminds me of Alice Neal, but on a whole new level.
Worthy of Freshly Pressed….awesome!
Very unique artistry! Thanks for sharing.
amazing…
Wow–thank you for sharing! I love the concept of Alexa’s works!
incredible work
I see a major flash mob opritunity here. just imagin it.
20 different people all over town coming back to a single painting for a still life, then taking off again like nothing happened. sounds amazing.
I saw this first on MSNBC a month ago. It’s amazing. It’s almost hard to look at!
This is amazing! I love it.
Cool
These are absolutely amazing! Great post, thanks!
Honestly…that is just unbelievable!!! Wow!! So glad you were Freshly Pressed today so I could see this post! 🙂
Wow!! This is amazing work! I wish I had though of this while in art school!! This is the most innovative thing in painting since Francis Bacon!
Wonderful! Great innovator!
Omg!! I thought they were sculptures!! but what happens when they blink? People would notice they’re real people!
It’s such an interesting play on reality vs illusion, which is often what painting does. Lovely!
This is really awesome, and smart! I have never seen anything like this, it is so unique! I hope for Alexa that the whole world will know about her because she deserves it, she’s a great artist. I draw too but I will never reach this level. Keep it up A.M.! One love.
One the most interesting takes to contemporary art… I adored these paintings! The best compliment i can give is that i wished it was me who had that idea… 😉
I remember these photos – Love it.
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Fascinating!!
Wait, so they are actually real people?? That is really creative!!!
wow..i think this is super duper creative..initially i thought it was a painting till i read it..but I think i love the concept simply ‘cos it not the usual.
What an awesome idea. I couldn’t tell they were actually people at first either. Super trippy but creative! I can’t imagine the patience it takes to paint an entire person.
Very cool optical illusions! Alexa is indeed an innovative woman 🙂
Brilliant and inspiring
Very cool indeed.
What a great idea!! You are amazing at your skill. I love it love it love it!!!!
Your work is pure awesomeness, if that’s even a word. Bravo!
These are amazing!!!
I am such a big fan of her work
What a nice idea!
Wow, that’s pretty crazy! What a neat idea.
I saw this on Yahoo news. Crazy! looks sooo cool.
What a talented artist! Such a simple idea, but so wonderfully achieved. I love it!
That is so cool the way she has combined painting, installation, and photography to make her art works. I love the little quirky bits like the nude woman looking up at the viewer or the old man riding the subway. A really cool take.
Fantastically fanatical.
that is amazing! each shot appears to be a painting. unbelievable. very creative. thanks for sharing! i’d love to see this in person.
Amazing job!
That is very freaky but looks very good!
This is amazing! I wish I could go to one of your exhibits.
I love it. Very creative.
I never saw that kind of art. Is really nice I like it!
My face would be exactly like that guy in the last picture’s.
This is incredible.
This is by far the most amazing, inspiring, radical..extreme, mind-blowing art I have EVER seen in modern history. And to realize that the artist is a younge woman makes it even more mind-blwoing for me (girlpower, girlpower!!!). I’d love to know what goes on that artists’ head to even begin to crete these ideas and then project them into her art. It’s absolutely…I’m lacking words. This is what “think outside of the box” is all about. You’re doing what’s not been done before. I’m feeling just happy watching these pics and reading the blog!
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Yep, it is unique and confusing to one’s perception. It looks three dimensional but you’re convinced that it’s a flat painting.
oh my gosh I’m in love with your art… its inspiring.
One of the best things i’ve seen ever
Wow! –These are amazing!
This is so cool! I especially love the blue portrait! Wow.
Ooh this is so unique and inspiring. I went back to look at them all. The eyes are the only thing that may (possibly) give them away…and the ladies’ hair…
So original and totally gorgeous to look at, especially seeing the guy on the subway!
I’d never be able to pull off that kind of shading on a 2D surface, let alone an actual person.
Thank you for sharing! It is really wonderful stuff.
Oh. My. Gosh. This is amazing. I have never seen anything like this.
BRILLIANT! SIMPLY BRILLIANT. ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS, DISCOVERIES I HAVE EVER SEEN…WOW…ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOP 20 AMAZING WONDERS! WOW! REALLY!
I would love to have this done to myself….wow. I am truly blown away….
Blessings and have a great week! … Kevin
How unique! I didn’t even think this was possible. The “paintings” are so interesting and captivating.
You caused me to have a double take at the first portrait of the guy and the swirling lines around him. Fabulous effect, and I was amazed when I read further and saw your technique. How clever and innovative your work is; I love it!
Ronnie
truely amazing stuff, she is so gifted
wow…this is unreal. If she is D.C.-based I will have to look for her stuff!
loved it! I’ll share it on tweeter for other people to see it 😉
Ridiculawesomatically Fantasmalistic! It’s so trippy, I don’t know what else to say. Excellent find.
That’s amazing, I love art that messes with optical illusions, very clever idea!
cool..
Interesting art
holy fudge thats amazing!
This is absolutely wonderful. What a great idea. I thoroughly enjoy your style. I especially liked blue man and elderly man.
that’s AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congrats on fp!! 🙂
AMAZING art work! great ideas! check my art work out http://www.lindseyeileen.wordpress.com
I lack words for this, but hopefully “amazing/inspiring” will suffice. Bravo!
Interesting, and admittedly, brilliant. My friend who’s an artist also amazed when I show him this
This is definitely a step towards a brand new movement in art. I have never seen anything like this before, making your work the first step towards the future! Keep it up, I know you will be successful and an inspiration for future artists.
woooww amazing…
be4 i read it i thought its a 3D painting… ahahaha u got me…
im waiting for another post.
Wow… this is really unique and very cool!
Simply remarkable.
very interesting indeed…
good heavens that is simply astounding! who would ever have thought of doing that? Until I saw her standing in the actual shot I wouldn’t have believed it was anything other than a painting
oh!! this is look amazing wonderful(BRAVO!!)
yeah ur correct 3d painting wonderful
i thought
Stunning…thank you for opening my eyes to a new way of seeing.
Very nice work!
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Looks fantastic. So talented.
This is what you call talent. nice painting.
That is awesome! I can’t imagine being covered in that much paint though!
I have never seen anything like that, so original and impressive. Looks like it is painted but its real
pretty cool
Great work,
🙂
AMAZING!!!!!!
Brilliant, Amazing, Dazzling, Intriguing, and Inspiring. I really love your art. It’s one of a kind!
Way to go balls out Alexa! Damn it’s nice to see something so totally different. And in the DC area, even. I wish I took the metro today, this city isn’t used to edgy art unless it’s on the wall in Capitol Hill.
Keep doing ur thing, u’ve got “it’
That is ground-breaking stuff. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so beautiful. It looks like really good CGI. I bet seeing something/someone like that in person would be even more exhilarating. She should definitely start doing art shows if she hasn’t already, just to popularise this style. I could see her work attracting an expansive audience.
awesome!
This is beautiful and i like it very much.
wow, this is amazing!
Wow….this is awesome. I love it. I’ve heard of Alexa before but this is just amazing.
“Wow! That’s cool!” is what I was saying as I read this. thank you for introducing us to such creativity!
i wish i saw this before halloween! this would’ve made the best costume EVER
This is amazing!!! Some people are really talented artists.. 😀
One of the best things i’ve seen ever I like it.
That is amazing…
your concept and result is… words cat even describe it…
amazing is an understatement. 🙂
A true artist.
At first, I didn’t want to believe that the 2nd and 4th photos aren’t photoshopped. This is just superb!
Splendid work of art!!!
It’s beautiful,… amazing!
It’s like walking painting,.. 😀
Like
WOW, that is super, super cool! I’ve never seen anything quite like that. This girl’s got talent!
This is wonderful, very nice to look at.
That’s like 3d effect ……
amazing yar !
Whoa that’s too cool 😀 Love her works 🙂 🙂 🙂
wow! very unique! indeed a real beauty 🙂
Over the top concept. Thanks for sharing such brilliant stuff.
I actually have seen these photos months ago. But it’s great to see them again.
Alexa is very talented.
I love this. 🙂
BRILLIANT WORK!
oh man so nice
Very cool 🙂
superfantastica…!!!
wow ! goood to see . looks like a painting.
This is amazing! I love everything about it, they all look like paitings no matter the angle – and that last picture made me laugh to boot! Thank you for sharing!
Very beautiful work …
Unbelieveably Fantastic! How kind of paint do you use of real people. They look like just out of a comic book. Amazing. Never seen anything like it.
Blown away! 🙂
Awesome! Idea and execution are perfect – must take some amount of skill and a keen eye. 🙂
Very HOT!!!!!
Simply brilliant… BRAVO
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this is just so great! At first glance I was really thought that guy is just a paint material.. but when I saw the entire article.. wow..!
congratulations!
wow! so cool and creative. love it!
Brilliant art!
The new art form is: reality tries to copy art
That is so amazing and intuitive!! I would love to be one of her subjects and walk around like a living portrait. This takes “bringing paintings to life” to a whole new level.
Simply cool! =)
What an awesome idea!!! Love it!
Marvellous! As someone said to have been gifted with an eye for beauty, I want to thank you for your contribution. So happy to be sharing this with you.
Really special 😉
I ve seen this on TV a few weeks ago, it s amazing 😀
Love, love, love this! So creative!
These are amazing; it’s like a painting has come alive… especially the one of the old man, must surreal to see him wondering around
Brilliant
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I would love to be able to be a part of something like this. That’s really awesome. And a total trip to look at.
Interesting. Very, very creative!
Unbelievable, No words to say. Imagination of Alexa Meade is truly appreciable ^_^
These are incredible! Thank you for the recommendation.
Can I also make a recommendation? An artist I was introduced to recently: Ione Rucquoi (www.ionerucquoi.com)
O_O Wow! That is really super interesting! They look so much like paintings that even when I see them in ‘real’ surroundings I feel like I’m looking at paint on paper.
It’s a very unique technique and it’s very different. The best thing is that you can never tell that the person in the photograph is real.
wow wow wow !!!
cool and awesome 😀
Very cool, especially the little old guy going home on the train
Great….
it’s nice to see true creativity still happening every day
I like it a loot! Awesome.
Me encanta! es fantástico y muy creativo. Esto si que se podría decir que es arte vivo. GRACIAS!
Great stuff girl. Love your creativity. Congratulations and keep it coming.
Dita
Seriously cool. More than seriously cool–seriously awesome! How amazing!
Wow. I like the guy watching the TV.
Reminds me of http://www.moillusions.com/category/3d-sidewalk-drawings-optical-illusions
I’m totally flagging this for my artist friends to enjoy. My hat is off to Alexa!
Just shared this. Whoa. Whoa. Wow. Thanks!
Brilliant! Just Brilliant!
Amazing! I would love to see one of your exhibits you are very creative and i love the combination of using real people in your art.
Très déstabilisant..
Génial
Brilliant. Such an intelligent concept, I love it.
SO amazing ! I really am inspired by your work 🙂
very nice!!!!!!!!!!!
very cool.
absolutely…stunning..and.unbelievable.work!…truly.love.it 🙂
This artist is truly amazing. I can not believe that those people were real. I had to check all the pics. Crazy!
Great blog. Thanks for sharing.
I just started a new venture and I would love to interview you. If you are interested check out my WP blog http://askbloggers.wordpress.com/
Thanks for your time…. Brian
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moobyfone reblogged this on 100 Songs in 100 Days and commented: I know this is a music blog but inspiration comes from many places and I feel I need to share Alexa Meade’s with you all.
Those are super cool! I bet it would take forever to make, and her subjects have got to be talented in their own right. Could you imagine staying still for that? Thanks for posting this. 🙂
Love it! Thanks for the post.
Wow, what an incredible art form. That is truly getting beyond the confinds of an artistic expression. Just the ability to envision this working is incredible. Very innovative. I’m not really a person who pays much attention to this genre of artistic expression, this grabbed my attention.
Talk about art that boggles the mind, this is it! Fantastic!
Awesome!… really amazing!!
Wow, this is amazing and I’ve never seen anything like it. I love the art and the concept of it. I would love to be a part of something like this.
wow O_O Awesome ..
I really love it <3<3 😉 …
Alexis your painting subverts the so-called canons of painting easel. It expands through various media including the human body. The “body painting” a real model (statue) is part of a static scene as a support, but when the model (actual figure) this scenario is released and enters the mix between reality and the people, is if to say .. . picture changes the scenery, but the reality is that the frame is the character that changes of scenery. genial and congratulations.
You really do outstanding art. Thanks for sharing your process
Cheers
~ firey
http://www.foundobjectbeachart.wordpress.com
my god at first glance i didnt event thought it was a real person until i saw the strange blue one
pretty cool :)))
What verve! Great work, Robin
Very creative! I really loved the idea!
Fantastic!
That is incredible work. Alexa has a great eye for emotion.
beautiful! creativity at its finest!
Absolutely amazing!
Beautiful and Creative at its best.
Whoa. These are way cool.
What an incredible combination of different medias, truly incredible . .. ….. . . . … . / .
This is incredible! I need to show this to my friends later!
Wow. Strange, but breathtaking work – a lovely find. I concur with Kat – it’s good to have the reminder that real creativity is still out there!
Really wonderful post
This is really awesome!
PS: I couldn’t imagine having any less of a confused face if I saw that guy walking around. lol
Main blog: http://hersoftlyspokenheart.wordpress.com/
Poetry blog: http://eastcoastinsomnia.wordpress.com/
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This is very odd. It reminds me of the pavement artists whose work has to be viewed from a particular angle or the trick of perceptions won’t work. I can’t help feeling that there is more in her work than just a straightforward photo of a painted person against a painted background. Maybe she’s very clever with working out where the light falls and somehow masks it out… I can’t quite figure out how she’s achieving the two dimensional look. Very well done, though, however she’s doing it!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog, thank you for posting this! Alexa’s artwork is beautiful and refreshing.
Love it. Thanks for sharing these photos.
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wow…thats amazing…
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I saw a video about this a couple months ago. This concept still amazes me!
This is beyond amazing. Wow! It’s so like a painting even when an unpainted human is standing beside a ‘piece.’ Wow!
Heya just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same results.
At first, I couldn’t tell what was going on. As I scrolled down, I was speechless! Meade is an incredible artist. Her creativity is amazing!
How cool is that?!
Surreal! So cool!
Well, that’s definitely new and quite interesting. I had some pity for the models though.
Wow! This is great art work! Wonderful! People who look like paintings! Thanks for sharing. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
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Beautiful blog 🙂
Cheers!
wow what a great work!! Just Awesome
Wow, creative! I like see the picture but please don’t make me as the model…
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Amazing! Keep up the good work 🙂
that’s really neat!
Great Blog i come again to your blog …..:)
see this
http://www.allitreview.com/
very awesome work…first time ive seen such artistic work.
http://triviayourmind.wordpress.com/
Awesome work,great pictures 🙂
Freaken cool! -And that is all that needs to be said. 🙂
This is really a fascinatingly inventive way of doing still life.
These paintings tricked me and suprised me. I can see the artist being successful here.