Artist: Matthew Ryan Sharp

If you're in Chicago I highly recommend stopping by A.OKAY OFFICIAL in Lake View to see Matt Sharp's new exhibit 'Weapons of Mass Construction' with Project Detonate, it is more than worth your while. Matt's work has really interested me for a few years now, and it was a real pleasure to see his show in person and get to meet him. Matt's work is gritty, depressing, and full of character. His trademark characters are the Midwest Ghosteez, which is what originally caught my eye, and they have been produced in every form from paintings, wheat pastes, and even a plush figure of them was made last year. Matt has a very unique and controlled almost scribble style to his figures with heavily distressed and splattered background. His work can be found on everything from traditional canvases to pieces of wood to street signs and newspaper boxes, as long as it is remotely flat it seems that Matt will paint on it.
Matthew Ryan Sharp on MySpace


Various Midwest Ghosteez, 2008


Can You Count Suckas?, 2008


Ghosteez roaming around Chicago


Drown Your Sorrows, 2008


Dirtbag, 2008 . . . sorry kids this one is SOLD!

Artist: PARSKID

Definitely one of my favorite artists would have to be Parskid, his work is incredibly inspiring. Parskid's work has drastically evolved in the past few years as he has really developed his own unique style. Originally his work was very gritty, detailed, but with a disturbing simplicity to it. His later work is a lot cleaner with a heavy geometric and layered influence, and also a lot more thought is present in his pieces. I absolutely love the evolution his characters have made and am constantly impressed with Parskid's work.
Parskid's official website


Dark Gardens, 2008


Tree Tops (detail), 2007


The Last Gathering, 2007


They Are Inside Me, 2007


From the Red River (detail), 2007


Dirt Nap, 2005