Grey Cube Gallery proudly presents the third Monochrome online art show for the month of September 2023. The show encompassed a range of artistic styles and mediums (oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, ink, graphite, scratchboard, photography, digital). Each submission has been judged based on the following elements of artistic expression: orginality and quality of art, overall design, creativity, interpretation of the theme, demonstration of artistic ability and usage of medium. Out of all entries, 114 artworks were shortlisted for inclusion in the show. The competition attracted entries from many countries across the world: USA, Canada, Italy, Greece, Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Armenia, Isreal, Japan and India. Enjoy the show and thank you for expressing an interest in our competition.

My work includes detailed graphite pencil drawings of landscapes containing machine creatures, plant-animal hybrids and other conglomerations that might be found in the distant future or on other worlds. Many of the landscapes are drawn from southwestern deserts waterscapes and mountains but others reflect a less Earthly aspect. These drawings focus on post-technology ecosystems containing self-sustaining technological artifacts. What would feral technology do if it were left to its own devices to spawn and reproduce long after its biological creators had passed away, maybe millions of years in the future here on Earth or perhaps on some alien world with unclassifiable fusions of biology and machine? These drawings give speculative visual answers to the question above. Are there commonalities among all possible forms of complex life? Art though the ages has explored the unique nature of human experience. But is our uniqueness really our most important aspect? Maybe what makes us alive is more important than what makes us human. When we look at a natural object with a complex structure we often feel some kind of affinity or fascination even if we don’t know exactly what we are looking at. For instance, a close-up image of a bone fragment or of a complex fungus is mesmerizing, somehow compelling to the eye. These drawings depict objects or things that are un-named and unknown to the viewer but the underlying structures are familiar in a complex organic way.

Unleashing the power of black and white artistry, I am Steve Hammond, a proud Signature Scratchboard Artist (SSA) of the renowned International Society of Scratchboard Artists. With every stroke, I breathe life into intricate details and capture the essence of people and animals in a mesmerizing way. My journey as an artist has been fueled by passion, dedication, and an unyielding pursuit of perfection. Armed with a scratchboard as my canvas and a sharp tool as my instrument, I create masterpieces that transcend boundaries. My art is not for the faint-hearted. It delves into difficult subject matters, exploring the depths of human emotions and the untamed beauty of wildlife. Through my work, I aim to evoke powerful emotions within each viewer, leaving an indelible mark on their souls. The recognition bestowed upon me as an award-winning artist has been humbling. It serves as a testament to my unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in this captivating medium. Join me on this artistic odyssey as we embark on a monochromatic adventure together. Welcome to my world; welcome to the realm where scratchboard comes alive!

I worry about our world. I worry about what we are doing to it. I worry about what we are not doing for it. I worry that very soon we will pass the point when we can pull it back from the edge of the cliff and over it will go. There are many problems in our country and I worry about all of them, but mostly I worry about the climate. Once we have successfully destroyed it, all of the other problems will make no difference. We will all go off the cliff with the climate. So I create these images that represent the sad direction I feel we are going in. I Hope the images will cause people to think about this and take action to correct it.

I love working in monochrome as I find it simplifies my composition so the focus is directly on my subject or subjects whereby form, shape and value take centre stage!