It’s been quite a while since I last posted a collection of the photomanipulations of Maine artist FEP, Jr. AKA “Frank” and he’s been quite busy by the increase of works now visible here.
Frank’s work is quite different from that of other phot0-manipulators. Most all of the work is assembled from photographs he has taken in the woods and by the streams outside Augusta, Maine. The countryside is gorgeous and placing his models in the great outdoors really enhances the effect of the pieces. Frank likes to repurpose his photos, so you’ll find the same deer hind used multiple times. I can imagine getting good photos of cervine and equine hinds is a bit difficult, so I can hardly fault him for reusing the best ones repeatedly. His male models are interesting in that they are more “average joe” than the models most of us PMers choose. But this gives the work a more realistic flavor as most males aren’t superstuds.
I think he reuses the leg elements from his deer stock photos to create the legs for the satyr images he does. This causes the satyrs to have decidedly thinner legs than I have seen in the majority of satyr art pieces but, again, it also makes for satyrs that are distinctly original to Frank’s work.
Frank has branched out in the last year or so and has experimented with pieces using fantasy art as backdrops and he has added special effects to some pieces. I like that he has headed in that direction and I hope he explores it further. He has recently created some spiritually minded pieces and, IMHO, I believe combining his manimal work with more spiritually directed material would be a real plus. Just because the centaurs and satyrs are forest denizens doesn’t mean they don’t have a strong spiritual basis beyond merely roaming the woods and drinking from and bathing in the waters.
I must give him kudos for featuring his drawing and paintings online. The work proves his talent goes well beyond photomontage.