Adam Martinakis.
This guy is ridiculously talented. I like the way his mind works. What he envisions... and the grace and beauty of his execution.
Check out some of his works:

There seems to be a bit of a trend of late to create sculptures that are terrifying in their realness (in an almost uncanny valley way) and yet slightly (or not so slightly) twisted or bizarre. Here are a few of my favourite hyper-real-silicone-sculpture artists for your weird fix for the day.

The first is Korean artist Choi Xoo Ang. Some of his works are really fricking disturbing. Some are just a bit creepy but kind of beautiful.  And of course underlying his works are pretty strong political and social statements that you can figure out for yourself. Because, hey, the whole point of ART is to not have it spelt out, right?
You can check more of his stuff out here.

The second is Sam Jinks. You can check him out here. His sculptures are less nightmarish and even more real. The detail of the skin is AMAZING.

And then there is our very own Australian Ron Mueck. He especially likes playing with the scale of the sculpture.
There are quite a few cool books about his work too which highlight his most famous exhibitions and shed some insight into his methods (click on the slideshow below for more information)

Kay Nielson was a golden-age Danish illustrator and was one of my favourite artists as I was growing up. His specialty is depicting Scandinavian fairystories and awakening the imagination of kids all over the world.. There is something about his works that steeps the watcher in a parallel universe of mythology, romanticism and magic. (A universe I'm not ashamed to still yearn for). His style is so delicate and yet so elaborate and detailed - almost art deco sometimes. He illustrated the Grimms Fairytales and the Arabian Nights, amongst others. You can see some of his other work here. I never tire looking at them. Sigh.

If you are looking for a book for your children with all his illustration in it, I have got this book (click on image below) and it is a source of total delight for my nieces and nephew. Only about $12 too, from memory.

These underwater sculptures are hypnotically awesome. They are the works of a guy called Jason deCaires Taylor.
From his bio:
"Taylor’s art is like no other, a paradox of creation, constructed to be assimilated by the ocean and transformed from inert objects into living breathing coral reefs, portraying human intervention as both positive and life-encouraging."

I love the fact that he is drawing attention to the fragility of the coral reef ecosystem. But the thing I dig the most is that every sculpture is constantly changing and eroding and gaining a whole new character as the sea reclaims them with an art of its own.

Click on the picture below to get info about coffee table books on his art:

Street artist Pejac (previously) was recently in Paris where he created at least three new works almost guaranteed to make you smile. The first appears to be a figure throwing a water balloon at a wall, but on closer inspection the giant splat contains a painting of Manet’s famous The Luncheon on the Grass. The second involves a pair of children who appear to be burning ants with a magnifying glass in a spot of sunlight, but once viewed close-up the tiny figures are revealed to be small people instead of insects. Lastly he made use of a thick wall crack to form the edge of a ghostly looking door.

And then of course there is the incomparable, infamous Banksy.
He really needs no words of introduction... and wouldn't appreciate them anyway.

Here are three books on street art that I highly recommend:

Painted murals first appeared in Latin America in the early 20th century; in the 1950s, spray-can graffiti associated with Latino gangs followed, notably the “cholo” graffiti of Los Angeles. Today, street art has traveled to nearly every corner of the globe, evolving into a highly complex and ornate art form. The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti (see below) is the definitive survey of international street art, focusing on the world’s most influential urban artists and artworks. Since the lives and works of urban artists are inextricably linked to specific streets and places, this beautifully illustrated volume features specially commissioned “city artworks” that provide an intimate understanding of these metropolitan landscapes. 
 

Organized geographically by country and city, more than 100 of today’s most important street artists—including Espo in New York, Shepard Fairey in Los Angeles, Os Gêmeos in Brazil, and Anthony Lister in Australia—are profiled alongside key examples of their work. The evolution of street art and graffiti within each region is also chronicled, providing essential historical context. With contributions by the foremost authorities on street art and graffiti, this landmark publication provides a nuanced understanding of a widespread contemporary art practice. The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti emphasizes urban art’s powerful commitment to a spontaneous creativity that is inherently connected to the architecture of the metropolis.

Street Art traces street art’s origins in cave painting through the Paris walls photographed by Brassai in the ’20s through the witty, sophisticated imagery found on city streets today, the book also features new and exclusive interviews with key figures associated with street art of the last 35 years, including Lady Pink, Barry McGee, Shepard Fairy, Futura 2000, Malcolm McLaren, Miss Van, and Os Gemeos. Street Art reveals the extent to which the walls and streets of cities around the world have become the birthplace of some of the most dynamic and inspirational art being made today.

Click on the image below to get more information about these:

Female writers have always been in the vanguard of the graffiti movement, though often shunted to the sidelines by their male counterparts. Graffiti Women them front and center, featuring 1,000 full-color illustrations from some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Brazil’s Nina, Japan’s Sasu, Mexico’s Peste, and the Americans Lady Pink, Swoon, and Miss 17. Two eight-page fold-out collages, a fold-out poster jacket, and an authoritative text round out the impressive package. The first and only comprehensive survey of its kind, this book is sure to attract and expand upon the wide and enthusiastic readership that made Graffiti World such a runaway success.