Visual Inspiration: Laylah Ali and Matt Leines

I don't know why, but I really like art that's stuck in the second dimension.  It might be a rebellion against the drawing books I looked at as a teenager, which all pointed to good "shading" as the ultimate goal.  Stark lines and solid colors were not privileged.

It could also be that a 2D image on a 2D surface feels more honest.  Or that the solid blocks of colors are just easier to process.  Whatever the reason, here are two artists who paint with the graphic quality that I like.  Their work seems to come from other worlds, each with its own mythology and history.  I love that!  I also love that there seems to be some need to translate these two-dimensional images into three-dimensions.

Laylah Ali: [her 2D work has been used to create dance performances]

Matt Leines: [his 2D work carries over into semi-2D installations in 3D spaces]