Kevin Appel

via texturism

I'm cleaning out some inspiration folders in the new year and came across the work of Kevin Appel. Love the geometric shapes and forest creatures.

Art I Wish I Could Afford

Amanda Hughen's landscapes really tug at my earthy heart.

{via coco+kelley}

Pulp Madness

I have been going wild over this Neil Krug Pulp Art Book. I've had the pictures saved for awhile but I just can't contain myself anymore! Especially since this new video came out.

Emily Marie Cox

You've got to love a girl who describes herself this way:

Photo Styling

Illustrations

Patterns

Objects

Last year's post: Best Outfits to Wear While Listening to Vampire Weekend

Valerie Galloway Photography

I love the framed photographs in Valerie Galloway's shop. They are eerie and nostalgic and lovely. Perfect for our inner Parisian.

The Gift of Art

I am very very happy to have a growing art collection for my walls. I received so many beautiful things from beautiful people for my birthday. Thank you thank you thank you. And I happen to know that Santa is delivering some more on Thursday. But I am not so skilled in the art hanging department so would anyone like to come over and arrange my frames for me???

Laser Beam Mustang!!!

GirlHula

A Look Only You Would Understand from AshleyG

(thank you sister! I love you!)

45.

Happy day! It's Friday! Here is some weekend love for you -

• Post-It Art
• My new obsession - Soir de Fete
• New Ashley G
• Being a Girl is rad
• Amazing Save-the-Dates
• Bad-ass Sugar Plum Fairies

{photo by crystal wood}

oh my god. oh my god. oh my god.

I am SO happy. One of my favorite artists of all time, Alyson Fox, FINALLY has an Etsy shop!!! Weeee!

{Discovered via Design for Mankind}

ETSY Gift Guides: Yo buddies

Yeah, I know every other blogger has a freakin' gift guide this holiday season but can you really have too many gift guides? I'm still struggling with some people and I'm on this damn box shoppin' more than all of y'all. In my many travels sifting through Etsy (I love Etsy, don't get me wrong, but there is A LOT of crap on there) I've found stuff that doesn't really have a perfect match with my giftees. Hopefully some of you will dig it. This guide is for yo' buddies (and me) -

CHEAP and FABULOUS ART

party dress by betsy walton $25

kids and bear (original collage) by cabin $25
Delicate Heart by wool and water $12 (I have this little sweetie and luff her dearly)
Flyer without a Compass by Lushbella $25
Laser Beam Mustang by The Cellophanes $20 (hot DAMN I want this howsie)


BANGLES and BEADS

The Empty Birdcage by adorapop $26.50

Antler Necklace by trsty by berry $36

Wooden Cameo Ring by Genevieve Gail $15

Beautiful Romantic by Funky Shique $18

Eco Bangles Bracelet Set by So She Sews $12

ETC.

Savoy Camera at Domestikate $24

Mini Deer Plaque by nice $22

Punk Letters at Pony Party $10.50

Deer Egg Cups at Brooklyn Rehab $9.50

Reject Platter by trixie delicious $30

Etsy Portraits

Ever since I saw the wall of Victoria's apartment at sfgirlbybay I've wanted a portrait collection of my very own. So I put my hunting cap on and went over to Etsy. Man, there are a lot of dog and rock star portraits out there. I mean I sifted for about an hour and couldn't come up with much. I love love love what I did come up with though. Go check out the artists in my favorites.

Do you have any favorite portraits?

we <3 it

I had we heart it booked on my google reader for, oh I don't know, six months or something but I never had a chance to really check it. I finally went over there today and it is pretty nifty!

Check out the I love Jenny Lewis's Hair (so funny) and check back often because it updates fast!

Monday's Featured Artists

So my one week off turned into two weeks but it took me all of last week to get through the 1000+++++ posts in my google reader! I didn't take as many pictures or do as much sightseeing while I was home as I would have liked but I did get a lot of friend and family time which is most important. Check out my dear Kristy's blog for some home pics to get an idea of all the fun times that were had! I did however star a lot of rad posts! Check out these new (to me) artists that I lurv.

Craig Atkinson

Amanda Blake
Zara Wood

Monday Featured Artist

I think I love you too, Mr. Kitty Kat. I love your sad little mouth and little eyes. I just love everything about you. I'm bonkers over the little critters in Julia Pott's shop. And only $25! Are you mad!? Not as mad as I am over Mr. Whiskers up there and little Meow Meow McGee down there.

Monday Featured Artist

I love all the work of Genevieve Dionne - her wood burns, collages, illustrations. But it's so hard to find any information on her other than her images. I'll have to re-read her section in Illustration Play. I know she is in Vancouver and I know she had an online shop once upon a time. I did find this tidbit over at Headquarters Galerie from a few years back. But I want more! Anyone know anything more about this awesome artist?

9.

We have a concert tomorrow night but Sunday - sweet, sweet, Sunday - I am off and Captain McCool is off and I'm looking forward to being lazy and irresponsible and going to the beach and buying a vintage dress and maybe some records! Have a fantastic weekend everybody and take some time to be lazy and irresponsible too! Here are some things to kick start the weekend:

• If you're in New York (*hem hem* Sera), you better go to the BRAND SPANKIN' NEW Brooklyn Flea and take pictures and buy stuff and tell me all about it;
• Ladies, this is just HI-larious. I'm a little wary about my comfort level but I might have to do a test drive with one of these babies;
• And we all need some inspiration sometimes. I know I've been talking about them all week but I just can't get enough of Erin, Holly, and Marisa;
• Cute stuff from a cute new blog;
• Alright, get out there this weekend and do a trust fall or two.

Monday Featured Artists

I have two (very different) artists I would like to feature today. I discovered Hellen van Meene's photography over the weekend and I was absolutely floored (we are having a gigantic sale on books at the MCASD store and I'm discovering all these books I never even knew we had!!!). Hellen van Meene, born and living in The Netherlands, focuses her work mainly on portraits of young people, specifically girls. I love the soft lighting and the facial expressions she gets out of her subjects and how she integrates quirky poses and scenarios like a girl with her head in a wastebasket with more classic poses. The book I found over the weekend, Hellen van Meene Untitled, I just can't seem to find anywhere else online so I'm going to have to buy it and scan some photos. They are my favorites but here are a few more good ones I found on her site.

{All photos courtesy of Sadie Coles}

In my morning google reader ritual, I noticed this post at Poppytalk. I just finished reading (finally) The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera and this image by Harry Underwood reminds me of Tereza's dream where she is marching around a pool with a bunch of other women. I love his retro color combinations and his characters; they could be 1950s vacationers from the movie Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (a must see for any francophile and classic movie lover).

{photos courtesy of artbyharry.com}