Cosmo For Marilyn 

Dan Graziano's "Cosmo For Marilyn" is made with oil paint, a medium with a long and established tradition in fine art. But the subject matter is not so highbrow; Graziano depicts a bartender crafting a cosmopolitan in front of a Warhol-esque portrait of Marilyn Monroe, a scene steeped in modern pop culture. The oil paint is applied with loose brushstrokes, giving the painting a casual, almost off-the-cuff feel. Look closely, and you'll notice the artist's active engagement with the materiality of paint. The textures, the blending, the layering—they all point to the artist's skill, but also to the inherent qualities of the oil paint itself. By using this esteemed medium to depict such an accessible and modern subject, Graziano blurs the lines between the traditional and the contemporary, inviting us to reconsider the materials, making, and context that imbue art with meaning.