December First Friday presents Cósmico: The Art of George Hage

Cósmico is a new series of works from North Carolina artist, George Hage, which is an exploration in the vast nature of digital mediums using foundational shapes like straight lines and circles to create optical landscapes representing the infinite nature of the universe. The series is about energy, movement, and infiniteness. 

Additionally George will be hanging several of his illustrated works. Obsessed with music and comic books at a young age, he continues to uniquely infuse these passions into his artwork and design and has had the opportunity to design works for the Carolina Hurricanes, Trophy Brewing Co, Hopscotch Music Festival, and much more including several creator owned projects.

George's pieces will be available to view and purchase throughout December. The First Friday event will be December 7th from 6pm-9pm. George's work was recently featured in Walter Magazine here. You can also see more of George's pieces on his website here or on his Instagram @thegeorgehage.

November First Friday: Artwork by Courtney Marie Tayler

This November AlterEgo is proud to display artwork by Courtney Marie Tayler. Tayler’s intention is to redirect our awareness, and help us to appreciate becoming present in the moment.

“Mindfulness, the act of being more present, is a recurring theme throughout my body of work. In our fast-paced world, it can be easy to be swept up into a web of technology. The intention of my artwork is to redirect our awareness, and help us to appreciate becoming present in the moment. My art process is a mixture of both drawing and painting. While in art school, I found myself being strongly influenced by artists such as Chuck Close and Kehinde Wiley. I admire the technical aspects these artists use to paint in a naturalistic and contemporary style. I learned how to work from photographs, and practice a photorealistic attention to detail in my own work.”

— Courtney Marie Tayler

Tayler's pieces will be available to view and purchase the entire month of November. The First Friday event will be November 2nd from 6pm-9pm. See more of Tayler's pieces on her website here or on her Instagram @CMTaylorartist.

October First Friday: Dan Woodruff's "Problem Children"

As spooky season is upon us, AlterEgo is proud to present Dan Woodruff’s “Problem Children” for the month of October. Woodruff is best known for his oddball characters, which he creates from bits of over-produced advertisements.

“Having worked in the advertising industry for the past 16 years I just want to make something unattractive when I get home. My work is about all the quirks and blemishes; I embrace the things Photoshop removes.”

— Dan Woodruff

Woodruff's pieces will be available to view and purchase the entire month of October. The First Friday event will be October 5th from 6pm-9pm. See more of Woodruff's pieces on his Instagram @dan_woodruff.

Wella Trend Vision 2018

Hair styling is an art, and Alter EGO is a place for artists.  While sometimes our art is expressed in every-day livable styles, trendsetting is in our blood.  

This is what we live for.

Butterface. A new exhibit from Nathan Wellman.

For the month of May, Alter EGO is stoked to unveil Nathan Wellman's collection, "Butterface." His work contains a clear emphasis on butterflies invoking a feeling of transformation and self reflection. It is a combination of portrait photography, painting and illustration, all playing with color! Here's a sneak peak:

One of These Images is Haunted.

Brandon Spence (a.k.a. Hoop and Stick) is back at Alter EGO for April 2018! Come see his new images Friday April 6th 6-9pm or anytime during the month of April.

“I’m just some guy who makes pictures out of also-pictures. They may or may not be meaningful. One of them is cursed by an ancient and terrible god, but that’s to be expected.”

— Hoop and Stick

Susan Peters, March First Friday

Susan Peters is an emerging NC artist you don't want to miss.  Her portrait of the human experience is both enlightening and liberating, a story of success and failure, of love and loss.  While her subject matter, like a mood, is various, her ability to capture your breath is consistent and encourages a appreciation of the life we are given.  www.AcrylicArtistryNC.com

Susan Peters Artist Biography:

I am originally from Woodstock, New York and have always been creating something. From the early years of finger-painting on rocks in the creek bed behind my grandmother’s house to present. After a long hiatus from painting, I have returned to it originally as a cold weather hobby, but after creating the first acrylic painting, I was immediately hooked. I started looking at everything around me in detail, noticing colors, shapes, light, and shadows.

I enjoy using bright colors in my work, and enjoy painting a variety of subject matter, as well as using varied techniques. Depending on my mood, I can go from painting flowers and animals, to abstract figures, flow art, and resin.

I consider myself to be an emerging artist, as I am just starting to display my work. To date, I have displayed my art throughout North Carolina. I currently have a painting in the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, North Carolina for the “State of the Art: Art of the State” show. I also display artwork with Local Color Gallery located inside 311 Gallery in Raleigh. I am a member of the Fine Arts League of Cary, Visual Art Exchange, and the Durham Artists Guild. I have work in private collections in North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, Alabama, and California.  

In addition, I have had artwork published in the online literary magazine, The Charles Carter.

I also enjoy practicing hot yoga, riding my Tennessee Walking Horses, and traveling with my family.

Feeling Blue, A New Exhibit by Taylor Lee

"When creating my latest pieces, I was inspired by color and by the geology I've seen on my road trip around the United States. From Chicago to Seattle, down to San Francisco and then through Utah, I've seen many indescribable displays of beauty in landscape. Mountains, forests, storms, fog, just to name a few. Geology is concrete, grounded, and tangible. It feels like the opposite of color - color walks, speaks, moves, and breathes. Color is a wild animal that I cannot hope to ever fully understand, just as I cannot hope to really feel the earth's crust moving beneath my feet. Seeing the two come together, like the way the mountains go purple in Utah at sunset, has taught me to see the world differently, and to never stop chasing the sublime." - Taylor Lee

FLASHBACK! JOSH MCBRIDE, 2018 FIRST FRIDAY!

Alter EGO is stoked to announce the return of Josh McBride for the very first FIRST FRIDAY event of 2018!  Join us on Friday January 5th for Josh McBride's FLASHBACK, a special exhibit of his personal collection and favorite pieces.  Josh started painting graffiti at just 13 years old.  He painted everything in sight while growing up in Durham, but now paints murals all over the country professionally.  McBride paints canvas on request.  

We've had many requests to purchase his canvas over our front desk from our private collection, but we will never part with it!  If you want one of your own, or if you just want to ring in the new year with the Alter EGO family in style, join us for First Friday in January!

Alter EGO Gets Inspired in Miami

“A hair festival of epic proportions.” Front Row’s tagline and a mighty promise to live up to. After three full days spent in the Mana Wynwood building surrounded by the brilliantly colorful Wynwood Art District, I can say that I think they succeeded. As a hair show firstie, I arrived in Miami with very little idea of what the next three days might hold. From what my more experienced hair-show-going comrades said, Front Row reached a level all its own. Day One found us wandering through the warehouse-esque building that is Mana Wynwood, viewing the Luxury Brand Partners’ (the show’s hosts) custom art work designed specifically to showcase their brands for this event. The first hallway faded from art to a line of photo ops set up to represent each of the brands: Oribe, R+Co, V76 by Vaughn, and Smith & Cult. Then we rounded the corner into “The Marketplace” where each brand had a booth filled with goodies and their full array of products so that any salon that didn’t already host one or more of the brands could experience them first-hand.

After thoroughly venturing through the booths and admiring the artistic set up of the space, we had the opportunity to explore the Wynwood Walls, a collection of graffiti filled walls that are rather incredible works of art. The Alter EGO collective of hairstylists includes several visual artists beyond the art of hair itself, so we wandered through, soaking in the inspiration of such powerful art.

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Each day featured a Mainstage collection of “performances” by the renowned creators and educators of each brand. Night one was all about Oribe. We witnessed a variety of cutting and styling techniques by industy-famous artists such as Oribe’s Creative Director and stylist, James Pecis, Creative Cutting specialist Coby Alcantar, and “the hairstylists’ hairstylist”, Vivienne Mackinder.

Day Two began bright and early with a business-minded Keynote talk from author Jim Collins. Jim offered up the ideas that Good is the enemy of Great, and that the people you surround yourself with hold the most significance to your business. This really resonated with us at Alter EGO, as we not only constantly strive to go far beyond good to the greatest we can be, but keeping a positive, growing team is of utmost importance to us. The second Mainstage happened a little later that day and it featured Vaughn, Smith & Cult, and a couple of special guests to the show, actress Rose McGowan and a team of stylists who have branded themselves IGK. Vaughn’s talented team of educators put on an incredible display of men’s cutting and grooming techniques, and the Smith & Cult show was a unique performance all its own showing some fascinating conceptualizations of each of the lacquer’s names.

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Finally, Day Three brought us the incredible trio who collaborated together to birth R+Co—Garren, “the godfather of hair” who’s styled more Vogue covers than any other person; Thom Priano, men’s grooming and style specialist who’s styled more GQ covers than any other stylist; and Howard McLaren, former creative director of Toni & Guy and Bumble & Bumble, long-time educator, and razor-cutting pioneer. The R+Co show began with a conversation where each man shared his “origin story” and how he established himself in the world of hair. Then, we had the opportunity to witness all three at work, cutting, styling, and in Garren’s case putting on a mini-shoot style show all taking inspiration from classic movies and old Holywood looks.

We left Miami later that day with a new depth of knowledge and appreciation for the products we use and sell every day, a renewed sense of inspiration for this craft that we love so much, and a determination to bring both that knowledge and inspiration to our clients each and every day.

May Artist: Kelsey Melville

Kelsey Melville is a multi-media artist from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Working with a variety of materials and processes, the central idea behind her work deals with human emotion, thought, experience and connection. Join us for May's First Friday this week and experience mixed media art from Kelsey Melville and the smooth underground beats of DJ Kah'z.

Nathan Wellman: Graphics & Photography

Don't miss Nathan Wellman this Friday, April 5th @ Alter EGO.  Born in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Nathan Wellman began refining his artistic interests from an early age. As a talented and disciplined illustrator he very quickly turned to new mediums, experimenting with painting and graphic design. After graduating from Wake Forest Rolesville High School with a double focus in art and design, Nathan went on to study at The Living Arts College where he earned his Bachelors Degree in Interactive Media Arts. While attending the school he held the positions of Student Ambassador, Publisher for the Student Government, and Co-President of the Photography club, Photograffiti. He is a six time Addy Awards Winner, taking home Silver and Bronze in 2011, two Bronze in 2012, and a Gold & Silver in 2013. Nathan is also the 2012 winner of "The Robert F. Lauterborn Scholarship for Advertising".

Mathew Curran is back! Nov. 2nd @ Alter EGO

Rock it 'til Your Wheels Fall Off! First Friday

This Friday rock it 'til your wheels fall off at Alter EGO! See Graffiti by the world famous VanillaGorrilla and hear DJ F4CEPAINT lay it out on the 1's and 2's.  Be there or be square!

First Friday: "Abandoned Spaces"

Erin Woods lives with a creative passion and curiosity about the world. After graduating from Elon with a degree in Painting and Fiber Arts, she has made Raleigh her home. Read on from Erin regarding her opening of "Abandoned Spaces" at Alter EGO:

"I can remember going on adventures with my dad, as a kid, through rural parts of Maryland. We would explore old tobacco barns and abandoned spaces. There was always a lot of mystery surrounding these structures and I would wonder about their stories. Like an archaeologist uncovering clues about the past, there is a great amount of excitement, imagination, and wonder present when I seek out these spaces. I take my role as an observer very seriously and never manipulate any of the scenes in my photos. What you see is what was left when and where I found it. As well as being visually interesting, I hope to convey a story and evoke emotions that will help the viewer imagine what might have happened." - Erin Woods

See Mathew Curran November Only @ AE

Mathew Curran - Stencil Art Show - 11.04.11 from Chris Rief Photography on Vimeo.

Miss Mathew Curran's Opening on Nov 4th? You'll still be able to view the collection through December at Alter EGO. Stop in anytime. Thanks to Chris Rief Photography for shooting and publishing this video.

Mathew Curran - Stencil Art Show - 11.04.11 from Chris Rief Photography on Vimeo.