| JOSEPH VARGO: GOTHIC VISIONARY & MASTER OF THE MACABRE |
| Joseph Vargo has been bringing his original
and compelling creations to life through a wide variety of media
for two decades. This world-renowned fantasy artist is truly
a Renaissance man, with talents that encompass artwork, music,
and literature. His gothic visions open a gateway to the darkside
and dare the viewer to venture within. His chilling, mist-shrouded
world of forlorn ghosts, brooding vampires, living gargoyles
and other creatures of the night have earned him an immense and
loyal following, with fans reaching from every corner of the
globe. His publishing company Monolith Graphics was launched in 1991 and has since become a world leader in gothic-themed products, with numerous clients across the US and in a over a dozen other nations throughout the world. Their extensive dark product line offers music, t-shirts, posters, books, magazines and calendars. Joseph Vargo achieved international acclaim in 1993 with the release of a series of art collections entitled "Born of the Night," a title which has become synonymous with his gothic empire. In 1996, his work was featured in Spectrum's international collection The Best in Contemporary Fantasy Art. Dark's Art Parlor also featured his work as part of their Dark Visions collection. In 1997, Vargo opened his own gothic art gallery, The Realm: Showcase of the Fantastic, which featured his works as well as those of many other popular fantasy artists. Vargo's works have since appeared in magazine publications including Carpe Noctem, Dark Realms, Bite Me, Cthulhu Sex, and Vampyre and have been employed in set design by broadcast and film companies such as NBC, Universal, A&E, 20th Century Fox and The Discovery Channel. In 1998 and 1999 Vargo conceptualized and produced the popular Halloween soundtracks Born of the Night, and Realm of Shadows, and to this day his influential sound and ominous voice resonates in almost every haunted house and theme park across the country during Halloween. In 2003, he returned to the music arena and formed Nox Arcana with fellow composer William Piotrowski. Nox Arcana specializes in dark and haunting soundtracks, with eight albums to date: Darklore Manor, Necronomicon, Winter's Knight (#8 on Billboard holiday music charts), Transylvania, Carnival of Lost Souls, Blood of Angels (with vocalist Michelle Belanger), Blood of the Dragon, and Shadow of the Raven. Vargo's haunting images provided the inspiration for the gothic anthology, Tales from the Dark Tower, which includes several of his own stories as well as those from other talented gothic writers. Since 2001, Monolith Graphics has been the publisher for Dark Realms Magazine, a periodical that explores the shadows of art, music and culture, and which is instrumental in boosting the careers of emerging artists, writers and musicians. In 2002, Monolith released The Gothic Tarot to critical acclaim, now one of the most popular divination decks in the world. This deck spawned a companion book, The Gothic Tarot Compendium in 2007. A first edition art book, Born of the Night: The Gothic Fantasy Artwork of Joseph Vargo, published in 2005, features over 100 paintings, illustrations and commentary by the artist. |
| CHRISTINE FILIPAK: CORPOREAL MUSE & COMPUTER MAGIC |
| Christine Filipak combines a subtle blend of
fine art techniques and digital wizardry to create elegant and
timeless imagery. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from
Kent State University and professes to be a voracious bookworm
with a deep fascination for ancient cultures and historical horror
novels. In 1992, she joined Monolith Graphics as art director
and production manager, and throughout the years she has also
taken on the roles of business manager and media coordinator
for everything that Monolith Graphics produces. Christine's talents are utilized in the design, layout and production of Dark Realms Magazine as well as posters, t-shirts, calendars, and CD packaging. In 2003, Christine created and produced the lush artwork for Madame Endora's Fortune Cards for which she cites Alphonse Mucha, master artist of the Art Nouveau movement, as her primary inspiration. Her other credits include writing and co-editing the gothic anthology Tales From The Dark Tower, as well as creating and managing the Monolith Graphics and Nox Arcana web sites. |
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