Sometimes simple, sometimes quaint and sometimes fantastic, Jen Corace’s artwork always seems to put me in a calm, contemplative mood. Her illustrations are like something out of a dream, surreal and sometimes a little frightening. Just like a dream, her colors are never too vivid to the point of distraction; I particularly like her use of neutral and subtle tones.

One visit to her gallery shows a diverse range of styles, perhaps due to equally diverse projects that include alternate newspapers, record covers and children’s books. However, one thing that does stay the same is a clearly imaginative spirit.

I love that her work effectively combines both real and imagined elements to great effect; at times it puts me somewhat ill at ease, but always captivates me. This is perhaps Jen’s greatest strength: an ability to use juxtaposition to expand our horizons, a little bit at a time. Jen’s main website is available here; you can also find her work here, here and here.