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The Story of a Cover
Four artists walk into a garage…
Sounds like a one of those “guy walks into a bar” jokes. It’s not. Not to say there wasn’t a bunch of good humor and laughter while creating this piece. There was.
What began as one artist’s idea of lending his work to collaboration ended in something quite remarkable. Calls were made, and these four Allentonians got to work.
Michael Lebson took great care to measure the piece—locating exactly where each of his blocks would be placed, where each artist would leave their mark, and even down to how the final image would be cropped.
And so began the very first Fig artist collaboration cover.
Lebson was the first to put brush to canvas, painting his signature blocks.
Tyrone Webb did that thing he does with spray paint and that otherworldly vision he has. Webb painted around Lebson’s blocks, creating a sense of floating through a magical space.
Next came Michelle Neifert. She burst onto the canvas boldly, in waves—thick brushstrokes of color forming a brightly deconstructed lotus flower.
Layers and figures formed from mixed media is how Anthony Smith, as he does, approached in his illustrative style. Intuitively following the rhythm and flow of the painting, like a beautiful piece of music, Smith brought together all of their melodious voices.
It was Neifert’s keen vision that informed the decision to reconnect the petals of the lotus flower—signifying undeniable connection through diversity.
From inception to completion, nearly a calendar month of deep conversation, observation, camaraderie, A LOT of painting, and several aha moments occurred.
“Lotus Squared” is more than a painting.
It is more than a collaboration.
It is a sign of hope for the future. A project built on an idea of combining forces to emphasize individuality while maintaining inclusivity, the love of creation, and uplifting others through art and culture.
