Smoke On The Water

Victor Castillo is a Chilean painter renowned for his distinctive fusion of pop surrealism, political satire, and darkly whimsical imagery. Castillo began drawing obsessively at the age of five, inspired by cartoons, science fiction films, and album covers like Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Castillo’s paintings are characterized by cartoonish figures with exaggerated features, often set against dreamlike or dystopian backdrops. His work draws inspiration from vintage animation, comics, graffiti, and classical art, particularly Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings, which he encountered during a visit to the Prado Museum in Madrid . This blend results in a visual language that juxtaposes innocence with underlying themes of violence, power, and societal critique. Graphite is a versatile and widely used medium in art, primarily known for its soft, smooth texture and the ability to create fine details, shading, and gradients. It comes in the form of pencils or sticks, with varying degrees of hardness, ranging from very soft (6B, 8B) to very hard (H, 2H). The softness or hardness of the graphite determines the darkness or lightness of the marks it produces. When used in drawing, graphite allows artists to achieve a range of effects, from precise, sharp lines to soft, velvety shading. It is often favored for its ability to create tonal depth and realistic textures, making it a popular choice for portraiture, still life, and landscape drawing. Its subtlety and versatility also make it ideal for sketching and underpainting for larger works. In the spirit of ocean conservation the international non-profit organization, PangeaSeed, is ramping up its 2012 summer activities in the United States with a west coast art exhibition tour. Tailored to address one the biggest threats facing the health of world's oceans today, the rapid mass depletion of sharks, PangeaSeed aims to expand the public’s knowledge of the inhumane practice of shark finning and its deep impact on the health of our oceans. In the cruel process of shark finning, primarily practiced in Asia but also in other parts of the world, sharks are killed solely for their fins to satisfy an unsustainable appetite for shark fin soup. The shark is hooked and brought aboard the boat where its fins are then cut off and the still alive but limbless animal is tossed back into the sea to drown. With each minute that passes close to 200 sharks are killed, adding up to an astonishing 73 million deaths each year. Scientists estimate that global fish stocks will be in full collapse by 2048 if current consumption and destructive fishing practices continue. But even more shocking is the concern that the majority of the ocean’s shark species could be extinct