Vivienne Flesher creates a brilliant array of multi-textural illustrations and artwork, fusing a classic approach to technique and materials with a smart, modern visual sensibility. She is a frequent contributor to magazines and newspapers, especially The New York Times, and has illustrated an extraordinary series of book covers, many of them featuring powerful and graceful portraits. Flesher works is a wide variety of styles, using charcoal, inks, paint, and collage. In addition to her elegant illustration work, Flesher has created an eye-popping collection of psychedelic personal art that is astonishing in its layered graphics sophistication.
“I’d always appreciated the psychedelic-inspired photos Richard Avedon took of the Beatles, and they became the inspiration for some work I did combining my photography and the computer. I sent samples to three art directors I thought might use them, but only one responded: Kelly Doe of The New York Times. She was working on a personal project—a show mounted by the Japanese government. Kelly has often given me the chance to do experimental projects. She can see where I might take something even though I have little in my portfolio to prove it.”
Vivienne does not believe in “staying current”. In on of her interviews she said that trying to stay current seems futile, like having plastic surgery to stay young—it never looks natural. We can’t help but be products of our time.
She uses a lot of vibrant colours in her work which is what attracts me the most. Although the works might seem like ordinary psychedelic posters, to me, they look way more clean and organized than the ones from the 60s. It might be because Flesher has access to current technology, but it also takes good sense of space and tension to create beautiful pieces like these.
Sources
https://www.ai-ap.com/publications/article/14852/illustrator-profile-vivienne-flesher-my-influe.html