Leigh Viner

I just purchased my first Leigh Viner print. Her work is a pencil, pen and watercolor combination, enhanced with digital love. Her subject matter is always quiet, powerful and chic.

You can purchase prints at the jkldesign Etsy shop. I also recommend checking out Leigh's YouTube channel that combines her art with the touching music of Olivier Bostvironnois. A nice collaboration.

K is for Karma

Robert Samuel Hanson creates some simple and elegant illustrations. His in progress Alphabet caught my attention with its witty characterizations of the letters. K is for Karma makes me smile every time.

Chris Ware's The New Yorker Cover

Chris Ware has created this thought provoking piece of artwork for the cover of The New Yorker's November issue. It is beautiful to look at, with a season appropriate theme, and some strong underlying messages about modern society. This panel is part of a larger comic called Unmasked. The whole thing can be seen here (although I think it is more effective as a stand alone piece).

(Found through Design Milk).

Kevin Cyr

Enjoying the realistic vehicle paintings of Kevin Cyr.

Found Functions

The thing about math is that, beyond the basics, I always found it hard to see real, everyday applications. Nikki Graziano's Found Functions has broadened my perspective on the natural beauty of math. She superimposes math functions on top of photos of nature.

Note to self: get to know more photographer/mathematicians. They have a uniquely beautifully calculated view of the world.

Rivane Neuenschwander

Rivane Neuenschwander's painting series Ze Carioca no. 4 is currently on display at MoMA. Rivane painted over a recently reissued Brazilian comic book series from the 1940s. The comic was a politically charged, but much adored Disney comic called Ze Carioca. In these pieces, the panels of the comic book are kept in order but the text has been blanked out, and the images painted over using the bright background colors of the original comic panels. The intention of the piece is for viewers to make their own stories up out of the emptiness, or to remember the stories from their own viewpoints, based on the titles.
(Found through Swissmiss)

Lineanongrata

I found myself staring dreamily at the artwork of German artist Lineanongrata (a.k.a. Julia Freund). She has a imaginative, quirky take on the world. Her style is super sweet, with just a little bit of edge to it. I particularly enjoy her interpretations of nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

Check out her Etsy store of prints, buttons and greeting cards or her blog.

Dark Doings

Street artist Dan Witz is previewing his newest project, Dark Doings. He has created intreging glimpses of narative through the windows of doors. There are two aspects of this work that make it particularly engaging. The implied exhibitionist aspect of subjects, and the voyeuristic aspect of the viewer. I'm wondering what my own reaction would be to passing this on the street. (Found through Wooster Collective).

Sisyphus Office

Jonn Herschend has curated an exhibit called Sisyphus Office, which pairs Houston artists with office workers to "highlight art as an integral and necessary distraction in our day to day life".

I haven't seen the entire exhibit, but I really enjoyed David Fullarton's contributions. David created a series of small art pieces, made entirely out of office supplies, around the theme "What I do at work when I'm supposed to be working". Some of them are just too good, like the note to the financial department about microwaving halibut, or the apology note (shown above) explaining tardiness.

The exhibit is currently showing in Houston until July 27, 2009.

3 Frame Movies

If you don't have time to watch movies, but need to catch up on a few classics, check out 3 Frame Movies. It is a website that summarizes blockbuster greats in 3 simple drawings. The 3 frames try to capture the essence of the movie... as the artist remembers it. Hopefully that means the good parts, but not always. You are all so free to submit your own movie requests.

Some of the interpretations are fantastically amusing. This site is like a mini lesson in storytelling. My favorite 3 Frame Movie is Jurassic Park.

Serious Drawings

My copy of Marc Johns' brilliant book, Serious Drawings, just arrived this week. I'm a big fan of Marc's work. I've been thoroughly enjoying the book. For a taste, go to Marc's website. It is a never ending supply of amusement and witty insights.

Making of a Comic

I am always in awe of the talent of comic book artists. I was inspired by this behind the scenes look at Hellboy Darkness Calls. It shows the script, sketch, ink, color, and lettering stages of a few pages from the comic.

The Tan Man

Earlier this year, idiot er... design student, James Titterton offered his body up as a canvas. He ran a design contest to offer his skin "as a light sensitive material, upon which I am willing to have appropriate visual content 'developed' as a suntan". The winning design was submitted by Finnish graphic designer, Janine Rewell. James documented the stenciling, tanning and exhibition process on his Tan Man blog. Oh dear.

BBC Blast Studio

The BBC currently have a great website up that allows you to play with interactive art in their studios. The BBC Blast Studios connects you to a live stream of the BBC studio (available 12pm-12am) where they have 3 interactive art pieces. Online users can choose an art piece to play with and then follow the instructions to participate.

My favorite is Mark, which gives you three paint gun shots at a large canvas. It is accompanied by a dragable timeline which allows you to see the artwork being created over time.

Fantastic idea. The combination of online visitors with real participatory art exhibits is almost too good to be true. This experiment in creativity will be available until June 9th.

Seconds

Jason Miller makes imperfect porcelain dinnerware. His collection of plates, bowls, cups and tea sets all celebrate the art of imperfection. The collection is called Seconds. Each piece is made up of multiple patterns, misaligned graphics or uncentered decorations... things that would generally be considered seconds. Jason argues that the unusual is more valuable, not less. In Jason's own words: Conventions are for suckers.

Available for purchase on Greener Grass Design.

Best Made Company Axes

It is amazing what a little bit of design can do, even if the only added value is aesthetic. Best Made Company has added just a touch of design to a very classic object, an axe. They manufacture a range of axes with painted handles. Each colored handle is given a clever name to compliment nice design with good branding. The designs are released seasonally, like fashion lines.

If none of this season's axes appeal to you, you can always request a custom, ideal, design. Design and branding doesn't come cheap (thank goodness it adds value), axes range from $235-$550. Brilliant. I'm not sure how this is going over with the lumberjack community, but the design community is drooling.

If you visit the website, be sure the check out the inspiration page. It's raw, honest, and fantastic.

Microsocope

Microscope is the self-reflective, senior project of design student, Matt Convente. He uses a series of posters to put himself under a microscope and express his thoughts, fears and desires. The posters have pleasant, simple graphics that enhance the sentiment of the text. Some of the images are direct representation of the thoughts, while others are meant as clarification to the true meaning.

My favorite part about this project is the categories. Matt has arranged his posters in categories of x10, x100, and x1000. The categories are intended to represent the level of magnification, or depth, that the poster reveals about him.

Lurking

Lurking is an art project that is intended to challenge your perception of reality. The project is a series of photos hung behind translucent red films. The films distort reality by removing the people from the images.

According to the artist, David Garcia, Lurking is meant to make observers think about what they see or fail to see and to appreciating the reality behind the perception.

The Museum of Broken Relationships

When a relationship comes to an end, what do you do with all of the objects associated with that relationship? You know... the objects that have expired sentimental value attached to them? Sure you could take the fantastically therapeutic and non-environmentally friendly approach of ceremoniously burning them or throw them away as some sort of hazardous waste bag. Or... you could contribute them to the Museum of Broken Relationships.

The Museum of Broken Relationships is both a physical and virtual museum which promises to help an individual get rid of "controversial objects" that trigger "undesirable" emotions. It turns your objects from past relationships into a museum pieces, thereby "preserveing the collective emotional history". All contributions to the exhibit are submitted with info about the length of the relationship and story behind the object.

If I was a Robot

AhHaha... it's funny because it's geeky and it's true. If I Was A Robot, I would totally break dance all the time. Thoughts care of Alex Noriega's entertaining sketch blog. Also see Stupid Things I've Done for Love. (Found through Swissmiss).

iSketches

Jorge Colombo creates paintings... on his iPhone. He uses a application called Brushes, which allows him to paint with his finger. He captures scenes of New York City on his little 3.5 inch digital canvas. The backlit screen allows for easy nighttime painting sessions.

If you want to see how it's done, Jorge's website features movies of the paintings in progress (a feature of Brushes). I'm amazed and inspired.

See Saw Series

Artist L Filipe dos Santos has a nice sketchbook series called See Saw. They start with colorful gouache blotches and are transformed into quirky, story filled drawings.

There is something really nice about allowing yourself to be inspired by color and shape. (Found through Sub-Studio).

Passive Aggressive Anger Release Machine

The Passive Aggressive Anger Release Machine is a vending machine full of breakables. Insert money, smash something. Brilliant! Unfortunately this is just an interactive sculpture created by Yarisal and Kublitz. I say unfortunately because I would really get good use out of one of these. They could put one in my office next to the regular vending machine, and charge $50 per plate. I can't think of a more satisfying way to release some afternoon frustration. (Found through Thriving Too).

Reminds me of Smash Shack.

Decaying Paintings

Humans have a tendency to want to fight time and create things that last forever. But there is something very beautiful about how a fragile material ages, and changes over time.

Valerie Hegarty challenges the way we think about art by creating pieces that are already decaying and decrepit. Her art is battered, torn and damaged. It has already been burned, shot, drowned or eaten by bugs... so now you don't have to worry about it, just enjoy it. (Found through My Formative).

Everything I Have

Artist Simon Evans has taken inventory of all his worldly possessions in his piece, Everything I Have. The image was created out of pen, paper, scotch tape, and white out. I have so many questions...

This idea definitely makes you reflect on your own belongings and consumerism. I'm trying to imagine how big or small an inventory of everything I own would be, and just how long it would take to catalog. I'm sure at the end of the process I would want to give away everything and move to a hut on the beach. I'll add this to my To Do List, just in case.

You can see Simon's work in NYC at the James Cohan Gallery, now until April 4th. (Found through PSFK).

Character Study

Ever wonder what is beneath the smiling faces of your favorite cartoon characters? Well thanks to the arguably twisted mind of artist Michael Paulus, you don't have to. He has created skeletal studies of 22 cartoon characters. In his own words:

"These Icons are usually grotesquely distorted from the human form from which they derive. I decided to take a select few of these popular characters and render their skeletal systems as I imagine they might resemble if one truly had eye sockets half the size of its head, or fingerless-hands, or feet comprising 60% of its body mass."

Buttercup, Bubbles and Blossom, you still look cute to me. (Found through Street Anatomy).

Painting Facebook Portraits

Matt Held has found a timely twist on portraits - basing them off Facebook profile images. I've been thinking a lot the past few days about Michael Surtees' article about Face pics being the new logo. In some ways I hope this isn't true. The pictures people use for their profiles all seem so calculated and unreflective of a person's dynamic self (mine included). All that aside, Matt's portraits are very alive and flattering. I would love one. If you are interested in getting your portrait painted, just join Matt's Facebook group. Oh, and of course they are all square. (Found through Double Takes).

Hamburgerpanda

Hamburgerpanda is an Etsy favorite of mine. I haven't bought anything yet, but I plan to. Hamburgerpanda prints and cards are scientific-cute, if such a category exists. Cindy Yep is the San Francisco artist behind Hamburgerpanda. She says she is inspired by science fiction, nature, and Asian pop culture. I particularly like her underwater robots, like Roboctopus and Turtlebot.

Leah Giberson

I just ordered a print from Leah Giberson. She has a beautiful collection of prints available on Etsy. Her paintings feature concrete urban landscapes, empty swimming pools, and unoccupied chairs. Although the subjects seem cold, the colors make the paintings themselves very warm.

Islands

Islands is an in progress sculpture project by German artist Markus Hofko. Each island depicts a small snapshot of life, where the people left there seem to simply do what they do best. I guess life keeps on going, even in isolation... just not as well rounded as before. I can't wait to see more.

Dissecting Pastry

I always get in trouble for playing with my food. But my food, rearranging neurosis don't touch on Kathryn Parker Almanas'! She dissects food, arranges it biology lab style, and photographs it. The scientific arrangements are a refreshing approach to a typical food still life. They momentarily change the way I look at food. This is my kind of innovative thinking. (Found though PicoCool).

Lu Cong

I just keep flipping through the Lu Cong's gallery of work in awe. His paintings are so beautiful and serene. They are realistic with a twist of oddity. Kind of like modern versions of Renaissance paintings.

Lu Cong was recently named one of five of “Today’s Masters Making Their Marks”. I'm guessing that means I can't afford any of his work... eagerly awaiting prints.

I LEGO N.Y.

I miss living in New York. I think about my experiences there often. So I especially appreciated Christoph Niemann's I LEGO N.Y. A documentation of his seeing reminders of New York, in pieces of lego. (Thanks Lexi!).

Amy Bennett

I'm feeding my miniature obsession today with paintings. Amy Bennett does amazing oil paintings of miniatures. And like all fun miniatures, they tell interesting stories to tickle your imagination.

The Photographic Dictionary

The Photographic Dictionary defines words using photographs to accompany words. They are not your everyday A is for Apple type of dictionary photographs. The meaning of the word is photographically described through literal, figurative or personal interpretations. The photographs manage to give some emotion to the definitions. Definitions of everyday words like "lonely" or "home" are so beautifully enhanced by a descriptive photograph. I'm inspired to start my own personal version.

Knit Dissections

I can't figure out if The Crafty Hedgehog is an artist trapped in a scientist's body, or the other way around. Her collection of knit dissected rats and frogs are just too cute. You can even unpin them from their lab trays for cuddling purposes. (Found through Street Anatomy).

Marc Johns

Haha! Gosh... I always thought it was the other way around. Enjoy more from Marc Johns on his blog, "a treasury of mildly amusing drawings (how lovely)". (Found through Pan-Dan).

Typographic Links

Typographic Links was a book created by Dan Collier to experiment with typography. Words in the book are sewn together with strings, creating analogue hyperlinks across the pages. The red strings create a 3D web of information connections. It reminds me a bit of Kevin Kelly's Ted Talk: Predicting the next 5000 Days of the Web.

Prayer Booth

Do you ever find yourself walking down the street and just need a minute to pause, reflect, or pray? Maybe you want to, but you just don't know where or how. Maybe a public prayer booth is the answer to all your problems. Artist, Dylan Mortimer would like you to at least consider it. The Prayer Booth is one of Dylan's many works that are intended to spark a dialogue about religion. He considers it religious modern art. (Found through Double Takes).

Social Souvenir

Artist Sebastian Campion currently has an interesting exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde, Denmark. Social Souvenir is an interactive exhibit reflective of current online trends. The museum is selling 300 t-shirts for 125 DKK each. The t-shirt is black with white text, forming a phrase inspired by one of the museum's artists. As each shirt is sold, they are removed from the tangible half of the exhibit and transitioned into the virtual half, a large map. The t-shirt owner's address are marked on the map. I like the evolution of the exhibit from offline to online. It's very reflective of our social interactions today.

Needs for Sale

I've previously written a post about Wants for Sale. Today I wanted to focus on the related charity site, Needs for Sale. The site features paintings by Christine Santora and Justin Gignac. Each painting features a subject representative of the charitable donation created by purchasing that painting. For example a painting of A Fish, valued at $100, leads to a $100 donation to City Harvest, a charity working to feed New York's hungry. Other paintings profits go to Toys for Tots, Heifer International, NY Cares Coat Drive, and Habitat for Humanity. All fantastic charities doing their part to help those around us who in, or close to poverty. Great effort Chistine and Justin.

Osang Gwon Photographing Keane

Keane used photographer and artist Osang Gwon to create the artwork for their new album, Perfect Symmetry. Osang's style is to create 3D sculptures covered in thousands of photos of the subject, creating a semi-realistic likeness. It's kind of like a sculptural Photosynth. Great effect.

The Village Pet Store

Sigh... I'm falling in love with Banksy all over again. I know this has been on all the blogs today but it's such a brilliant idea, that I couldn't pass over posting it here as well. Banksy's newest exhibit in New York comes in the form of a pet store. The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill is now the home to a leopard print coat, hot dog hamsters, fish stick fish, chicken McNuggets drinking BBQ sauce, and my favorite, nesting CCTV cameras. All the "pets" are animated and viewable from within the small store, or from the street. Be sure to watch the videos for the full effect.

Banksy's comments on the exhibition were 'New Yorkers don't care about art, they care about pets. So I'm exhibiting them instead'. I'm swooning at the bad attitude. For more info check out Wooster Collective's coverage.

Jonathan Harris

Jonathan Harris is at the top of my People-I'd-Like-To-Take-Out-For-A-Beer list. I think he is one of the most interesting contemporary artists. If you are not familiar with his work, be sure to check out his website.

A few weeks ago I watched Jonathan's most recent TED talk. I think it has crossed my mind every day since then... so I thought I would share it with you. The talk speaks a little about his projects We Feel Fine and The Whale Hunt, but focuses mainly on a project-in-process about happiness. Jonathan traveled around Bhutan, a country that measures its success by Gross National Happiness. Through his travels he asks people to rate their happiness. Each person is photographed holding the number of balloons that reflects their happiness. They then write their greatest wish onto the balloon. Super interesting. Watch the talk!

In Case Of Civil Unrest...

I never get bored of witty, positive street art. This sidewalk art reads: In case of civil unrest... remove cement, break into pieces, and throw. (Found though Wooster Collective).

Ark

Ark is a sad but absolutely beautiful short animated film. I don't think I even blinked during the movie. Watch the HD version of the film here. Ark was written and directed by Grzegorz Jonkajtys.

SweetTalk

Artwork illustrating the beauty of communication by criminalart.

Migration

I'm a big fan of Hellovon's artwork. I actually just bought a print a few months ago. Gorgeous sketches.

Hellovon has a new project entitled Migration. It is a two part project, picturing birds migrating from London to New York. The birds are shown on two large billboards. One is currently up in London's Brick Lane. The second will be posted in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in the coming weeks.

Fred Eerdekens

Fred Eerdekens creates amazing typographic sculptures. At first glance they appear like abstract objects. When light is shone through the sculpture, a message is revealed using the negative or positive light of the shadow. There's an inspiring beauty in the madness.

WALL-E

I went to see WALL-E today. It was fabulous. Like most Pixar movies, I was very inspired by the story, the characters, and most of all, the artwork. The story is about a robot (WALL-E) that is left on an abandon Earth to clean up the garbage. The movie has very little dialog but tons of story. The robots are all full of character and personality. I was also super amused and fascinated by their interpretation of the future. If you are inspired by Pixar's art, I recommend checking out the Art of Pixar books. I recently purchased The Art of WALL-E.