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I Paint Bats And Sweets As Saints

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My name is Will Eskridge and I am a working artist in Athens, Georgia. My latest series, “Confectionery Outcasts” celebrates feared and stigmatized animals while exploring what we perceive as good and evil.

These paintings feature a motley crew of animal outcast portraits including bats, snakes, and opossums juxtaposed with sweet confections hovering above the animals. I surround each portrait in gold leaf, similar to byzantine iconography. The portraits are then painted in a loose and brightly colored approach that decidedly derail from classicism to enter the realm of humorous modernism. It is no mistake that these portraits of maligned creatures are elevated to saint status, as gold leaf was traditionally reserved for beings of nobility. A variety of confections such as cinnamon rolls and cake act as a blessings while donuts intentionally double as halos for the cursed creatures.

Through myths and folklore, these wonderful creatures have been maligned and treated like yesterday’s garbage by society. I hope to change these perceptions through his paintings. If we would just take the time to admire them instead of fearing and thus ousting them due to myths and misunderstandings, we would realize how beautiful and important these creatures truly are. The series is an extension of loving our neighbor and looking beyond prejudgement. Now more than ever we could all use some ‘love thy neighbor’ attitude.

More info: willeskridge.com

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Confectionery Outcasts virtual opening at my studio

Will Eskridge

Originally from Kings Mountain, North Carolina, I attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Visual Arts/Savannah and earned my B.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from San Francisco Art Institute in 1999. With a father as a veterinarian and an artist mother, my affinity for animals and art began when I was in pre-school. I explore many mediums including film and mixed media, but painting is my true love.

Originally from Kings Mountain, North Carolina, I attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Visual Arts/Savannah and earned my B.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from San Francisco Art Institute in 1999. With a father as a veterinarian and an artist mother, my affinity for animals and art began when I was in pre-school. I explore many mediums including film and mixed media, but painting is my true love.

Aelita Senvaitytė

My name is Aelita and I have been an Editor for Bored Panda since 2019. I spend my days working with my amazing team and making articles the best they can be. Fantasy and magic have always ruled over my world, from movies to TV shows, to Video Games to tabletop games like Dungeos and Dragons, I try to find magic in every part of my life. Writing is a big part of me too, I hope to publish a fantasy novel one day. I also enjoy playing guitar and singing, as music always help me to get in a great mood. I have an adorable German Shepherd named Hela and we get into all kinds of adventures together.

My name is Aelita and I have been an Editor for Bored Panda since 2019. I spend my days working with my amazing team and making articles the best they can be. Fantasy and magic have always ruled over my world, from movies to TV shows, to Video Games to tabletop games like Dungeos and Dragons, I try to find magic in every part of my life. Writing is a big part of me too, I hope to publish a fantasy novel one day. I also enjoy playing guitar and singing, as music always help me to get in a great mood. I have an adorable German Shepherd named Hela and we get into all kinds of adventures together.

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