Paulus Woodworking on Etsy

This man's woodworking is so creative, I would LOVE to have one of his tables! I think the movement of the curved wood and the lines echoed on the tops are so inspirational. Who knew looking at an end table or console could actually energize you? This one is my favorite because I love the way the dark wood looks against the white background, but if your home has dark jewel tones or vibrant walls, the light one below would be equally stunning.

He currently has seven pieces available for sale on his Etsy site. They are not cheap, but is any original artwork worth buying? Take a look at the collection!

Lisa Dejohn Paintings

Green Vines

I really like the raw quality of these paintings by Lisa DeJohn. They remind me of Miro and Klee in their whimsy, but also of aboriginal rock paintings in their strong lines and bold color.

Red Leaf in Vase

Snail

Yellow Flower

Blue Flower

These paintings are acrylic on burlap wrapped plywood. There are originals available, but prints are only $35 or $60 and would make such a pretty organic and graphic statement.

http://www.lisadejohn.com/

Cucumber Tendrils

I took these photographs of the tendrils on our cucumber plants because I thought they were so beautiful and sculptural. But the more I looked at them, the more amazed I was at their delicate strength. These little wisps are holding up some BIG cucumber and several pounds worth of vines.



Not to belabour the point, but look at this...Threaded Field, Telstra Dome :: HDR by Artie

and also this...

Ligne Indeterminee, steel, by French sculptor, Bernar Vente at Norfolk's World Trade Center.


Obsessed...The only problem is that its super itchy to try to get into the cucumber patch to photograph them!

Does anyone else see little things in their daily life that remind them of the inspirational?

Mel Kadel Drawings and Prints

Mel Kadel's prints are like a four-way love child between M.C. Escher, Dr. Seuss, Salvador Dali, and that dream you had last night that you can't quite get a grip on. The first thing I noticed about them were the strong repeated graphic elements and slowly evolving "this-into-that" theme throughout the work. This is one of the many pieces with the Escher-like quality:


Backdrop of Angels

But then the shapes and organic elements of several pieces began to remind me of some of Dr. Seuss's non-child-oriented pieces. Take a look at the colors and swirling, wandering linework in Foot Bath


and Break Out:



One thing that most of his pieces have in common is a sense of weight and heaviness,a struggle that is almost unbearable to the figures. It's this psychological and subconcious effect on the viewer that reminded me of the surrealists, Dali in particular. Check out Falling in Line.


The artist is really playing with form and the figure, but doesn't forget his material--I love in the upper right hand corner where some of the little people look like they are almost trying to escape. They don't only rebel against falling into the "correct" shape provided for them, they want to rebel right off the page! Or are they trying to break into the picture?? This one makes me feel similarly uneasy, for obvious reasons:


It's Personal


Worth looking at, no? The one thing I wish was available on the site is more of a bio--who are you Mel? Also it would be great to be able to sign up somewhere to be notified of new shows...these are some pieces I would like to look at in person for the textural quality of the stained paper. Check it out at http://melkadel.com/

Prints by Laura George

I love these! These prints by artist Laura George totally crack me up! They are like a yoga retreat involving acid-laced cotton candy...not that I am speaking from experience or anything. They are strangely soothing and silly, happy and absurd, but still have an edge to them that keeps you from getting lulled into ooey gooey mushy land.

"Be Nice to Yourself" A seafoam green snail with a self-affirmation mantra...just in case you were looking for one of those...

"Both of Us" I am purchasing this one--being a newlywed and all...

"Resting" I don't find the acid-green color particularly restful, but the billowy mountain on which the dinosour and bear (?) reside looks quite soft and perhaps even bouncy.

If you need a little bit of original art in your life and want something absurd and soothing, this artist fits the bill! Check out her other work for sale on the website--there are tree-friends and mountain-friends, and trippy little raindrops too! And each print is frame-ready and will only cost you $20...

Shira Sela Prints

I am really loving this artist--her work reminds me of some of my favorite art deco illustrators such as Virginia Sterrett, Arthur Rackham, and my favorite, Kay Neilson.

This one is called "It's Going to Be Alright," and what I love about it is the incredible linework in the tree trunk, the "eye" in the middle of the trunk that looks like its watching over the little girl, and the fact that she is apparently very sweetly talking to her bear:



http://www.supermarkethq.com/product/it-s-going-to-be-alright

This one is called "Human Nature 2," and I love the trees, again, in this one. I also really like the composition of the blossoms, and I think the girls are vaguely creepy in a The Shining way.



http://www.supermarkethq.com/product/human-nature-2


This one is called "Free Spirit" and I like the movement of the composition, as well as the shadow behind the bird because it doesnt really match up with the bird's silouhette, so you are looking and wondering what is making the shadow.


http://www.supermarkethq.com/product/free-spirit


And finally, I think I like this one the best because the colors are most vibrant. It has the great linework again on the trees, and the grass also has incredible detail. She looks like she is watching the sun rise, and it has a much happier ambiance than the others, I think. Look at that ink work in the hills--each type of grass is made with a different type of mark, but you don't really see it until you look very closely. Very effective.


http://www.supermarkethq.com/product/looking-forward


I'm thinking the last three would make a pretty tryptich, but the one with the bird is the only one without the "lost in the woods" feel to it. Oh, and the best part--the prints are only $20.00 each and are totally original art!

An Artistic Lesson in Geography

I am loving these original Linoleum Block Prints by Emily Wick. You can buy single states mounted on wood blocks separately for $45 each, or you can buy the print of the entire US. I think its sort of a more sophisticated or polished version of the kitschy idea of putting a license plate on the wall from each state where you have lived. Plus I adore the idea that each one was handmade by the artist. You can get them at Two Eyeballs Galleries. I have no idea where we would put them (have I mentioned we have a grand total of TWO things hanging on our walls at this point?), but I think they would look great as a grouping on a large wall or maybe in a foyer. We would have to get:

I was born there;

Brett was born there;

I grew up in WV;

He grew up in VT;

We met in NC (I have to admit I like this motto a lot);

and finally we now live in VA!

Isn't it fun? And odd, as far as the actual mottos go. For instance, the Virginia Motto seems like an archaic form of "Damn the Man!" Wouldn't you agree?