| 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 Vampir 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 nine 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, Shadow of the Raven, and Grimm Tales. 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 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. |
|
Product Listings |