Royal Inspiration

As we prepare for the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate, I thought I'd devote this week to The Royals.

I just love the British-inspired line by the talented Laura Tarrish. Laura began her career as a graphic designer and some years later became inspired by collage-based illustration. Some of her clients include Apple Computer, The Boston Globe and Travel & Leisure. She even designed the retirement card for news anchor, Tom Brokaw!

The 'Royals' Card' (above)

Bridgetown Papers showcases Laura's amazing work which includes wrapping paper, note cards, photo frames, custom invitations and more. Pure eye-candy.

For her custom work she uses her client’s memorabilia, providing a wish list for them after a conversation about their project, and augments with imagery she researches or finds in her archives.

'Kings & Queens' collection (above) includes wrapping paper, notebooks, folders, bookmarks and more.

Laura's an avid collector of vintage maps, postcards, old travel guides, ticket stubs and more. You can see these wonderful vintage objects in her work.

Take for instance this design made from objects she collected while living in London. Isn't it fabulous?

English file folders

There is so, so much more to share about Laura's amazing work. You should see her Paris series!

You must visit her site Bridgetown Papers to view all of her work, and then mosey on over to Felt & Wire Shop to purchase her available retail goods. It's truly spectacular!

Thanks Laura for the wonderful inspiration. I LOVE my goodies!

My "Ticky Tacky" House

my childhood house as it looks today

Last year I posted about artist Leah Giberson and the wonderful mixed-media paintings she creates of suburban and urban landscapes.

some of Leah's Westlake paintings

One of the subjects Leah paints are mid century homes located in the small suburb of Daly City, about 10 miles south of San Francisco. When I was 4, my parents bought our first house in the Westlake district of Daly City. The Westlake homes are kind of "Mid-Century Modern cool."

Malvina Reynolds' song "Little Boxes" was based on a drive she took through Daly City in 1962, and became a hit for folk singer Pete Seeger in 1964.

"Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same,
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same."

When I met Leah and saw her work I thought I must commission her to do a painting of my old ticky tacky house! So, voila!

The painting

Leah's embroidered paintings are built up of layers of paper with contrasting textures that are stitched together in some spots. I love how the subject runs over the sides; the telephone wires are exaggerated, the house sits alone. Fabulous.

To view or purchase Leah's fabulous work, you can visit her website, blog, flickr series and etsy shop. Also included are her upcoming gallery exhibits. {Oh, and Leah sells prints of her paintings as well!}


Leah also has a wonderful 2011 calendar available which is stunning in person. It features 13 selected images of her paintings and are on nice heavyweight paper. You can purchase one here on Etsy.

Love my painting Leah!

Flower Power at Versailles

Currently on display at the Château de Versailles are the works of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Murakami has created a juxtaposition of of 17th century monarchy against contemporary modern Japan and it's quite controversial.

While some French monarchists have denounced the exhibition as “illegal,” the artist himself says that he is quite used to what he calls “Murakami-bashing.”

Many tourists who have came to the palace for its history are unimpressed by the novelty juxtaposition. Others see it as whimsical and refreshing. The museum’s director is well aware of the controversy these exhibits provoke, but insists on drawing a line between debate and censorship.

What do you think? Do you like pop-art inhabiting the palace?

"Murakami Versailles" runs from now until December 12th and is part of the standard museum entrance fee.

images via RSVP Gallery & design boom

Nicole Dextras & The Mystery Photo

Yesterday I posted another lovely photo that I had stumbled upon with no photo credit. Within two hours (wow), fellow blogger teaanddauguries replied with a link to this amazing photo. The artist is Nicole Dextras and the image is titled "Yucca Prom Dress."

Yucca Prom Dress
{Yucca Leaves and Flowers, Thorns.}

Nicole Dextras is a visual artist based in Vancouver, BC. Along with photography, book arts, and paper casting, she explores the ephemeral beauty of environmental art.

Cabbage Smock
{Red and Green Cabbages, Gunnera Leaves, Green Beans, and Thorns.}

This series is from Nicole's Ephemeral Art, Weedrobes Series -- eco-wearables made from live plant materials such as leaves, flowers and branches.

Aren't they fabulous?

Crab Apple Gown
{Crab Apples, Kale Leaves, Thorns and Hemp Thread.}

Camellia Countessa
{Camellia Flowers, Lilac Flowers, Yucca Leaves, Laurel Leaves, and Thorns}

Sunday Best
{Laurel Leaves, Rosehips, Various Leaves and Thorns.}

Skunk Cabbage slippers at the entrance to Nicole's studio (via flickr).

A big thanks to teaanddauguries for sharing this wonderful artist!

You can view more of Nicole Dextras work here on her website. Also, take a look at her wonder flickr series here.

photo credit: Nicole Dextras

The "Little Box" I Grew Up In...

photography; Thomas Hawk

Ahh... Daly City. The small suburb about 10 miles south of San Francisco. When I was 4, my parents bought our first house in the Westlake district of Daly City.

Malvina Reynolds' song "Little Boxes" was based on a drive she took through Daly City in 1962, and became a hit for folk singer Pete Seeger in 1964:

"Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same,
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same."

photography; Adrian Hayes

Now these houses above are big two-story "boxes."

Here is the "little box" that I was raised in. I just took a drive by --the first time in decades. It's now mint green...

I actually think Westlake homes, designed by developer Henry Doelger, are "Mid-Century Modern cool." The only bad thing about growing up in Daly City was the climate. Foggy summers...just like San Francisco.

Leah Giberson

You may be asking, what prompted me to do this post? Her name is Leah Giberson. I met her last week at the Pinterest meet-up held in the shop, Rare Device in San Francisco. They had a gallery of Leah's work. I nearly flipped when I saw her renderings of Westlake homes!

Leah Giberson

Leah's work is inspired by "photographs of seemingly ordinary and mundane scenes, which she then paints directly upon them to reveal the visually poignant moments that exist all around us, but are usually overlooked."

Leah Giberson

This "Westlake Green" painting (above) began with a photograph she found on Flickr taken by Adrian Hayes in a series of photos he shot of Westlake homes. (I had the pleasure of meeting him too.) Notice the brilliant detail...the house looks real.

The is the original photograph by Adrian Hayes

Leah Giberson

Not only does Leah have series on homes, she works with varieties of subject matter including her airstream series (above.)

So... now my latest "must have" is a "Westlake" painting by Leah. Possibly commission her to paint the "ticky tacky" house I grew up in. Now wouldn't that be cute?

To view or purchase Leah's fabulous work, you can visit her website, blog, flickr series and etsy shop. Also included are her upcoming gallery exhibits. {Oh, and Leah sells prints of her paintings as well!}

And for more history on Westlake, visit this website!

Vincent Olinet: A World of Fantasy

Petit Gateau, 2003

Happy Monday everyone! I hope those of you in the US are enjoying the long holiday weekend.

I thought I'd start the week off with my latest obsession -- whimsical mixed media sculptures by Vincent Olinet. You may have seen my recent post featuring his floating canopy bed installation.

Je suis le gateaux de tous les francais, 2007

("I am the all-French's cake"-- made of wood, plaster, foam, sugar, resin)

Vincent Olinet lives and works in Brussels. His work has a strong sense of humor, such as increasing the size of an object to enormous.

His series of monumental cakes made of both synthetic and real confectionery, were whimsical yet told a story. A symbol of decadence, abundance and decay.

La vitrine - Exhibition view, Galerie Laurent Godin, Paris, 2007

Je vous aime tous, 2006
("I love you all"--made of wood, metal, foam, carpet, fresh flowers)

Sans titre (untitled) - 2007-2008 39 pieces in wood and metal - various dimensions

If you want to see more of Vincent Olinet's work, visit his website here, or the Laurent Godin Gallery here.

photo credits: Vincent Olinet, Laurent Godin Gallery