An Alphabet of Animals

I couldn't find much reliable information on the web about the Scots-Canadian illustrator and painter

 Carton Moore-Park (1877–1956). According to different sources he may have been born in New Brunswick

 or the Hebrides, and studied under the direction of Francis Newbery at the Glasgow School of Art. 

Moore-Park specialized in animal subjects, and his artistic style was strongly influenced by Japonisme. 

In 1910 he moved to the USA, where he separated from his wife and had a relationship with, and maybe married, 
fellow artist and renowned dog painter Diana Thorne (a rather interesting character in her own right according 
to this article, complete with lots of mysteries and gossip). Anyway, if my dates are correct, Moore-Park created 
the lovely and whimsical illustrations for this alphabet book when he was only 22, which I find very impressive... 

Armadillo

Elephant

Ibex

Kangaroo

Mice

Otter

Porcupine

Unicorn

Vampire bat

Weasel

Yak

Moore-Park wrote and illustrated a variety of children's books centered on animals, including

 King of the Beasts, Biffel - A Trek Hox, The Wonders of the Insect World, The Children's Story of the Bee, 

Our Dogs, The Fables of La Fontaine and A Book of Birds (available online at archive.org).

Strange Relics

Animalia Exstinta is a fascinating imaginary bestiary 

featuring beautiful surrealist collages by Hugo Horita 

and humorous descriptive texts by Esteban Seimandi. 

This elegant volume was designed by Juan Cruz Bazterrica,

and published by the Argentinian Ediciones Tres en línea in 2010.

Bicho Taladro

Armadillo Labrado

Grillo Bebop

Pez Pollo

Pulpo a la Gallega

Trucha Mascardi

Vitrolita de Corrientes

View the book's layout and more images at Issuu

Ericailcane - Man is the Bastard

Humans are nothing but animals. Ericailcane

Like his close friend and frequent collaborator Blu, Ericailcane is an artist from Bologna and one 

of the main exponents of the Italian street art scene (btw, if you haven't done so yet, check out 

Blu's latest colossal animated project here). In recent years, Ericailcane's animal themed murals have 

received international recognition, and can be found on the streets of various European cities, 

as well as in Los Angeles, Palestine and Nicaragua. 

Blu + Ericailcane, Bottles, at POP UP! Ancona 2008

In fact, the murals are just part of a much larger picture, since ericailcane's artistic endeavors 

also include stop-motion animations, drawings, prints, art books, painting, sculptures and installations.

Through all these media, Ericailcane's poetic world comes alive through a very personal menagerie 

of tender, awkward, and existentially challenged anthropomorphic animals. 

Uccello 2

Since I am having a very hard time deciding what artworks to post here among the many I like, 

I'm just going to highlight a few recent projects, hoping that you'll be enticed to look out for more 

at the artist's great new website or one of many other web venues showcasing his works.

A nuoto

Ericailcane’s drawings and etchings are finely drafted and lovingly detailed, but while his technique 

brings to mind 19th century children's and natural history book illustrations, his inspiration is wholly modern,

immersed in the weaknesses, contradictions and anxieties of contemporary humanity.

Last January Carmichael Gallery hosted Ericailcane's first solo show in Los Angeles, Man is the Bastard.

The exhibition featured etchings and graphic art, but for the occasion he also painted a large mural 

on La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood.

After having being shown by his parents a series of drawings he had made as a child in 1985, 

 the artist decided to draw them again, and in 2009 created the book Potente di fuoco that

displays on each spread Leonardo/Ericailcane's creatures in their early and new incarnations. 

Guerra civile (Civil war) is the title of a recent Milan exhibition at Galleria Patricia Armocida

featuring new drawing, etchings and prints of warmongering critters. 

Rovina (Ruin) is a site-specific installation hosted inside an abandoned historical building

during the 3rd edition of POP UP! festival in Ancona, on show until the 5th of September. 

You can see photos of the large installation's murals and sculptures here and here.

And finally, some 2009 wall paintings from the Italian cities of Grottaglie, Pisa and Foligno.

Go here to watch Ericailcane at work and see how they are done!