Coming at you like a Dia de los Muertos-decorated Art Nouveau bordello that's heaving with lovely yet haunting women, Glenn Arthur’s art is nothing short of gorgeous! His acrylic on wood paintings feature seriously sexy fantasy girls who could easily be drawn from Alphonse Mucha’s imagination, and are always marked with his signature hummingbird. The sum of his pieces evokes a timeless Nouveau sensuality that’s an inspiration to a growing fanbase and collectors the world over. Springleap puts the spotlight on him and gets the lowdown on what makes this artist from Orange County, California, tick.

SL: Hi Glenn, and thanks for the opportunity to interview you for our community blog. First up – did you study to become an artist, and if not, how did you develop your talent?

GA: I did study, but not in a classroom environment. School was not really an option for me because of many factors however that did not stop me from studying any type of art that I could find on my own accord. Art books, comic books, online tutorials, museums; all of these things were, and still are, my constant teachers. 

SL: Your work largely seems to be rendered in acrylic – is there any particular reason you prefer this, and do you work in other mediums?

GA: When it comes to painting I really enjoy acrylic because of its immediacy. It dries quickly and allows me to layer and render without having to wait too long. I come from a drawing background so it works out great for me. However, I do work in other media such as ink, watercolor and colored pencil. I love to experiment and I think the next thing I try will be oils.

SL: There’s  a strong Nouveau flavour to your work, as well as Day of the Dead iconography – why do these appeal to you, and are there other sources of inspiration for you?

GA: I'm very much driven by aesthetic and my surrounding. I come from a Hispanic background which is where the Day of the Dead comes from and I've always been very into organic and fluid shapes mixed with symmetry, which is where the Art Nouveau comes in. I also love anything that is extremely ornate such as Victorian style patterns and architecture as well as anything with a macabre twist to it. 

SL: Are there other contemporary artists whose work you admire?

GA: Absolutely! My all time favorite artists are Alphonse Mucha and J.C. Leyendecker. Living artists that I am inspired by are Audrey Kawasaki, Charmaine Olivia, Jason Levesque, Jessica Joslin, N.C. Winters and Adam Hughes just to name a few.

SL: Lastly, could you let us know the story of the hummingbirds that feature in your work?

GA: I've been fascinated by hummingbirds for as long as I can remember. They are so unique with such an ethereal and magical quality about them but they are always gone from sight in the blink of an eye. I started drawing and painting them because I adored them so much, but they quickly became a signature in my work and now I can't imagine creating anything without them in it.

Ladies and gents, put your hands together for Glenn Arthur, a true fine artist and a gentleman to boot. Too see more of his work, take a click over to his website and read his blog for updates on latest work.

Enjoy the interview? Check out Springleap's other interviews in the Spotlight On series here.