Have you seen the work of French artist Lyndie Dourthe? Her tiny, talismanic pieces are a sight to behold. Much of her work is inspired by anatomy, botany and curiosities reminiscent of another era.
She makes the blinking of an eye poetic, wouldn’t you say?
And a nap seem romantic….
These delicate, floral, brooch specimens are made by hand.
And how about this gorgeous little boutonniere? Inspiring, indeed.
You may have heard the unfortunate news of the recent passing of Japanese designer and art director. Stateside, she was known primarily for her extraordinary costume design for films such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula and The Cell. Her work was truly spectacular; surreal, sculptural, innovative and otherworldly. I recently finished reading Eleanor Coppola’s autobiography Notes on a Life in which Ishioka plays a big role. She and Coppola were very close, and there are many great anecdotes and recollections on the behind the scenes costuming of Dracula. You can read more about Ishioka and her many talents and contributions here.
The incredible photos below were shot by Brigitte Lacombe on the set of Ishioka’s last film, Mirror Mirror. The film is directed by Tarsem Singh, who Ishioka collaborated with on The Cell and The Fall.
What do you think of these clever pieces below? Annex a clothing and housewares company based in New Zealand makes these marvelous travel inspired treasures from maps. The perfect homage to your favorite city, no?
And of course the gift guru in me could not let this charming wrapping job go unnoticed….
Sweet touches for the well traveled home, no?
I recently came across Ashes & Milk while browsing for esoteric gifts, and I hit a creative gift jackpot on this one, readers. Ashes & Milk is an online gallery with a reverence for traditional methods and strong believers in the idea of craftsmanship – that things we bring into our homes should have a soul and a sense of history. I couldn’t agree more. In the gallery you’ll find texture, organic materials, and nuances of all my favorite neutral shades, like the indigo dyed textiles below…..
These paper kiln ceramic titles are by Paula Valentim who lives and works in a Portuguese small town….Can you sense the calm and beauty of her life in these?
Created by one person, designed for one person is the mantra behind Ashes & Milk……
The Pierres Graphiques collection features these simple hand-drawn stones by Yoran Morvant. Each stone is carefully considered with designs to fit the geography of the stone.
How about an ensemble of these beauties in your home? They would look lovely clustered together, maybe in your favorite garden spot, hmm?
I came across this pair of true treasures while searching for pottery for a certain special someone. What do you think of these? I am in love, true love. Made by the Italian ceramicist Elio Schiavon in the 1970′s, these sculptural vases are something special.
I wasn’t familiar with his work, so I dug a little deeper and discovered that I find pretty much all of his painted ceramics are swoonworthy.
What do you think? Do these make you want to shut the door to the world, climb into a studio and start making a creative mess with paints and pottery? How about that for a lovely weekend plan? Yes, please.
Alright friends, get ready for gorgeousness. How beautiful are these paper flower collages by Tom Gallant? Below we have- chrysanthemum, acanthus & wild tulips crafted using Japanese cut-out techniques….
You may be surprised as I was that these are cut from the pages of gentlemen magazines. Yes, ladies, those gentlemen mags I am talking about. Tom says his unlikely choice of material is to prove that even traditionally shunned items contain a hidden beauty. I’m with you,Tom.
Spoken like a true artist, he hopes his work encourages people to take a deeper look around at their surroundings for hidden beauty and possibilities. I appreciate that Tom’s work reminds us to not judge work based on it’s medium and to see the beauty in everything.
How refreshing is life when you’re inspired? Are you feeling inspired this season?
I spent some time last night pouring through the website of photographer Jody Rogac. I came across the shoot she did recently of Laetitia Casta for Lab Magazine, and was struck by the quiet simplicity of the shots. It was refreshing to see a glamazon like Casta shot in a straightforward and unassuming way, which brought out a femininity and timelessness you rarely see from her. I pulled out a couple of my favorite shots from Rogac’s sight; I suggest you spend some time on their, there is much to love. For instance…this polaroid below which reminds me of a classical painting.
The beautiful Casta. How beautiful is this simple shot?
Marina Munoz. Love how the rich, stark blue contrasts with the softness of the shot.
Happy Monday, readers. How was your weekend? I spent mine rain filled days enjoying not 1 but 2 memorable birthday parties. While sourcing some new wrapping paper for the gifts for these festivities, I came across the gorgeous flowers of THUS + FARRELL. Husband and wife duo, Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell are a stylist and a photographer respectively, and handle a plethora of creative services including creative direction and graphic design for the likes of Chronicle Books and The New York Times. I can’t get enough of their stunning paper flowers. Gorgeous, no?
This little button-centered one is a fave. It feels gestural…
How about a sweet bouquet of these beauties for a holiday hostess gift?
I’ve been stuck on the work of Luci Everett, a talented collage master from Melbourne, Australia. Luci uses paints and paper cutting techniques and glue to collage each piece. Her work is inspired by imperfection and sunny days…charming, no? I love the attention to detail and depth of layers that tell a sweet, dimensional story……
Luci combines the use of paper and paints…
I can picture the below with a meaningful message written in the middle for that someone special…
Happy Halloween everyone! Last night I came across this gorgeously moody flickr album featuring horticultural art packed full of Autumn inspiration. These would look gorgeous printed on a porous watercolor paper and framed in small groupings. I of course had to share some of my favorites, starting with lovely Clethra…..
I’d like to bury my nose in those purples Lilac hues…
A perfect crisp fall pairing, ricinus & polygonum auberti….
This is a closeup shot of a fall bouquet. It looks like an early 20th C image, no?
Below are Indian paint brushes. I am loving the name as much as the flower itself….
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