My favorite art gallery, Thinkspace, is again teaming up with Pow! Wow! Hawaii to put on heck of an art show. This will be the fourth time the two have collaborated on an exhibition. Located at the Honolulu Museum of Art School from February 12 through February 17, 2017, all are welcome to see the most exciting art in the New Contemporary Movement.
Personally, I love Tran Nguyen’s piece (seen above). Maybe it’s because I’ve dyed my own hair pink or it could be the bright blue tattoos on the woman’s body that draws me in.
Wish I was in Hawaii to see this show in person!
Above: Tran Nguyen, “The Magenta Maiden”, (2017), Acrylic and colored pencil on paper
Tatiana Suarez, “Pink Matter”, (2017), Oil and aerosol on wood panel
Sail, “Long Exhale (Cycle or Staple)”, (2017), Ink, watercolor and acrylic on paper
Molly Gruninger, “The Pursuit”, (2017), Oil on canvas
Amy Sol, “Wayfaren”, (2017), Oil on wood panel
Alex Garant, “From Her Ashes”, (2017), Oil on canvas
Wiley Wallace, “Flying Away”, (2017), Acrylic on wood panel
David Cooley, “Theater of the Mind”, (2017), Acrylic and resin on wood panel
Mari Inukai, “Blue”, (2017), Oil on canvas
Oak Oak, “Flying Donuts Homer”, (2017), Stenciled spray paint on wood panel
Brian M. Viveros, “We Can Do It”, (2017), Oil and acrylic on maple board
The Corey Helford Gallery, based in Los Angeles, just released their online preview of artist Kelsey Beckett’s new show. Starting this Saturday, January 21, you can see these stunning illustrations of women swept up by nature. Called Murmutations, it’s a must-see exhibition that showcases Beckett’s beautifully powerful work.
Beckett is a Michigan born illustrator who graduated with a degree in Creative Studies. She currently works freelance as an illustrator and fine artist and has shown work in numerous galleries across the country. Her colorful work is created using mainly acrylic and oil. Her pieces have been featured by Juxtapoz and Supersonic Art.
I love how some of her heroines have pink or blue hair and how she liberally uses flowers, feathers and animals. Just gorgeous.
(On a personal note, I may be dyeing my hair metallic rose soon, too!)
I’ve been blogging for the last eight years. (Wow, that’s almost a decade!) Blogging is something that’s second nature to me now. Before, I’d be worried about every letter I typed. Now, I just let things flow. During my time at My Modern Met, my admiration for other blogs grew, not just in the fields of Art and Design but in Lifestyle. Today, I thought I’d share with you nine of my favorite blogs and why I love them.
I chose these nine blogs because they’re run by an inspiring person. I’ve personally connected with some of these people, meeting them IRL or exchanging emails with them. Believe me when I say that they are a force to be reckoned with. Many of them have been in the blogging business near a decade and have either grown their blog by adding in team members or have started whole new companies. It would be an understatement to say that I’m inspired by them.
Colossal – I have to start off by mentioning Colossal. When this art and design blog first started, I knew it would be a game changer. Christopher Jobson, who runs the site, keeps the content level high, meaning he just sticks to amazing, mind-boggling art, design and photography. It’s the number one art and design blog, in my humble opinion. Here’s an old Q&A I did with him way back when. If you don’t have Colossal bookmarked, you should. Also, don’t forget to check out their shop.
A Cup of Jo – Joanna Goddard is the cool girl who you wish was your best friend. She’s kind and approachable yet she has great taste. She only partners with sponsors she believes in or whose products she’s religiously used. It’s been fun watching her blog grow – she now has writers who make her blog even more interesting.
SwissMiss – You can always count on Tina Roth Eisenberg to fill her blog with clever, design-related products or ideas. I’ve watched her grow Tattly and it’s been inspirational. I receive the SwissMiss blog posts in email form. It’s one that I reliably click on every day.
OhJoy! – Joy Chen is the blogger who got me into blogging. She’s also someone who I witnessed going from a one person team to a full fledged company. Come to this blog to see cool DIY tricks, styling tips, or ideas for LA day trips.
Design Milk – I love that Jaime Derringer makes design approachable. Her website is chock full of design related products or spaces. The Design Milk Instagram, with 1.4 million followers, only puts out the most interesting stuff.
DesignLoveFest – Bri Emery has a beautiful eye for design. She can make anything girly and pretty. I took the blogging class she taught a few years ago and met her at a lunch for an agency we both worked with. Her Instagram is visual candy. I’ll never forget that DIY floral Christmas tree!
Emily Henderson – Stylist Emily Henderson can somehow take a bland room and make it look amazing. She mixes and matches patterns and colors in an effortless way. I wish I could have her redesign my home.
Cupcakes and Cashmere – Emily Schuman’s style is on point. She infuses herself into her posts in a way that’s not contrived. It almost feel like you know her. Recently, I was amazed by her backyard transformation.
Brain Pickings – Maria Popova is the brains behind this must-read blog. She’s a voracious reader, you can tell by all the book reviews. Her blog posts will both inspire and educate you.
While watching my first CreativeLive video, Finding, Defining, and Marketing Your Photographic Style, I learned that we can find our own photographic style by emulating our favorite artists. We don’t copy them outright, rather, we analyze their work and think about what elements of theirs we can add to our photography. Teacher and fellow photographer Julia Kelleher challenged her class to find three sources of inspiration. These people can be painters, designers, digital artists or even other photographers. I racked my brain to come up with my top three. They would be Max Wanger (love his use of negative space), the late and great Rodney Smith (his compositions were impeccable) and Audrey Kawasaki (her oil paintings on wood panel take my breath away).
One of the artists that Kelleher is inspired by is Stanka Kordic. During all my time at My Modern Met, I had never heard of this painter before. As I looked through her body of work, I fell in love with her style. In particular, I love how she paints flower petals, they look like they’re swirling in the air. It’s almost as if you can see the wind. Her mother/daughter paintings are especially evocative. They remind me of the pure love a mother has for her child.
Here’s what Artist A Day On-line Magazine wrote about her work:
“Stanka Kordic’s collectors would say her work affects them on many levels. To see her entire body of work, the art critic may have trouble putting her into a specific category. Both would agree she is one our best modern painters. Neither traditional impressionism nor expressionism, nor figurative realism can be used to label Stanka Kordic. Her paintings speak for themselves, never nostalgic replications of by-gone days, but truly contemporary and magnificent examples of Modern Art rendered with the skill and passion of the Master’s traditions. Her paintings provide lasting pleasure as one is always delighted to find a previously undiscovered passage with each new glance.”
Happy New Year! I stumbled across these enchanting black and white gifs by artist La Kritzel on Tumblr. Love how they capture the spirit of the season.
My favorites are the snow globe one and the one with the girl on the train. They’re mesmerizing!
I’m loving this fun bears illustration by brothers Matt and Andrew McCracken of Doublenaut. It has this cool, retro vibe to it yet it’s still modern. Recently, the two were interviewed by Adobe’s Create about their creative process.
Here’s are a few quotes, about their style, that I liked:
“Matt: We’re inspired by mid-century modern graphic design—simple illustrations that are geometric, with bold color schemes and simple type.”
“Ross: That era of design is timeless. It’s not about trends. It’s simple, clean, well-thought-out. You could use a poster from the mid-1960s now and it would be still be relevant.”
This piece just speaks to me. It’s the perfect combination of strange and surreal. The painting is by Fuco Ueda. He’s currently showing at Thinkspace Gallery.
You know when you look at a piece of art and you just can’t help but smile? Yeah, this is one of them. From February 7 to July 31, 2017, you’ll find this adorable hippo ballerina sculpture at NYC’s Dante Park, right across from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Standing over 15 feet tall, weighing over 2 and a half tons, it’s cast in bronze and clad in a copper tutu. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, the sculpture was inspired by Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen and the dancing hippos of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Visitors are welcome to take selfies with the Hippo Ballerina. Show off your favorite dance pose in front of Skaarup’s sculpture on your Instagram and then hashtag it #Dancewithhippoballerina. You’ll have the chance to win two tickets to a ballet performance at Lincoln Center. Fun!
So far we got all the men and women in your life covered but what do you get that one friend that’s all into art or design? You know, the slightly eccentric one that’s the toughest to shop for? Today, I’ve rounded up some gifts I think would be perfect for him or her. Now let’s dig in.
Above: Mikkel Blanket by Røros Tweed
“The Mikkel blanket combines inspiration from the Bauhaus movement and Norwegian traditional weaving on one side with a contemporary and exploratory use of color on the other. While working with the blankets the designer, Kristine Five Melvær, combined her two disciplines of industrial design and graphic design.” Lufina Wovens $350
Eames Book
“Best known for their multifunctional modernist furniture and architectural designs, husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames integrated craft and design as pioneers in their field. This book features their innovative plywood and plastic furniture, the Case Study Houses project they designed during the mid-1900s, as well as their other important contributions to textile design, photography, film, and beyond.” Poketo $14.99
LEGO Brick Cufflinks
“These cufflinks allow you to dress up and still maintain a spark of humor and individuality. Repurposed and recycled lost and forgotten pieces of memorabilia are converted into Lego cufflinks. Hand-crafted using real Legos, these tiles are epoxied to silver plated bezel cufflink posts.” Guggenheim Store $30
Color Wheel Blanket
“Whether you’re a print or digital designer, or simply a casual color appreciator, the Color Wheel Blanket brings a pop of color wherever it lands. Draped over your couch, chair, or baby crib, or used on the go for picnics and outdoor concerts, the 32×36” size is perfect for designer babes, or as a lap blanket for grownups.
“Knit in the United States from cozy, soft acrylic. Multiple layers of yarn make for a plush feel and extra warmth. Fabric-finished edges lend a polished look. Available in CMYK, with a white background (go team Print!) or RGB on a black background (go team Digital!)” Colossal Shop $84
Artist Wooden Dolls
“A modern take on Japanese Kokeshi dolls, which are customarily given as symbols of friendship, these cute wooden dolls caricature beloved and iconic artists. Made of schima superba wood.” MOMA $42
Paris Map Necklace
“The “Urban Collection” series is to tell stories of travel and nostalgia. Israeli designer Talia Sari Wiener created this intricate map pendant that is uniquely inspired by the street grid of Paris, France. Map pendant: 1.2″ square, Gold-filled bead chain with spring ring closure.” Cooper Hewitt $68
Color Wheel Pendant by Yellow Owl Workshop
“Presented in a unique glass vial packaging, this cloisonné pendant is gilded in 22 karat gold. Combine this with its 30″ long chain dipped in 18 karat gold, and you have a piece of jewelry with a charming sense of gold glamour.” Guggenheim Museum $40
Prism Cateye Glasses
“This user friendly version of the prism glasses from h0les offer see-thru views while maintaining the mesmerizing prism look. This groundbreaking style is available in gloss black or matte cream with iridescent faceting around a meticulously-cut flat crystal lens. High-quality crystalline lenses, molded plastic frames. Each comes with a case.” Whitney Shop $93
Barbara Kruger Vinyl Love Tote
“Barbara Kruger’s iconic montages juxtapose images culled from the mass media with provocative slogans and phrases. Here, one of Kruger’s vivid messages graces this vinyl tote. Measures 14 x 11 x 5 inch, with a six inch strap.” Whitney Shop $68
Meural
“The Meural Canvas is a Wi-Fi-enabled digital canvas built to showcase artwork. Each frame gives you instant access to 30,000+ works of art and photography, and it’s easy to upload your own.” Meural $595
Super-Modified Graphic Design & Lifestyle: The Behance Book of Creative Work
“Behance.com is the world’s largest network for showcasing and discovering creative work. In their first-ever book, Behance’s expert curators share an inside look at the trends driving today’s most exciting art and design creations.” Gestalten $55”
Monica Castiglioni Ring
“The daughter of Achille Castiglioni, a renowned Italian industrial designer, Monica is a jewelry artist, photographer, sculptor and graphic designer. Embracing an aesthetic that is both sculptural and organic, much of Castiglioni’s work is solid bronze and is cast in NY and Italy, using a lost-wax technique. Other materials include silver, felt, Pyrex and 3D printed nylon. Often the organic shapes that manifest in her work are representative of flower pistils, a source of inspiration for Castiglioni who is drawn to the juxtaposition of order and chaos represented in the flower’s biology. Fine craftsmanship and a deep understanding of proportion and materiality are evident in her broad range of work, which is collected by tastemakers across the globe.” Monica Castiglioni (Price undisclosed)
I found this incredibly talented digital artist named Loika via Tumblr. For all of his digital pieces, he paints using a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet (medium size) and Photoshop. You can check out his sketchblog here or order a book of his paintings or prints, here. What talent! (I’m tempted to buy the book.)
Hello, I’m Alice Yoo! I’m founder and CEO of Skylar Yoo, a company dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to be bold. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories to the modern feminist.
In my former life, I was editor-in-chief of the art and culture blog My Modern Met, which I founded back in 2007. I curated and wrote about art, design and photography for more than seven years. (In fact, I published over 7,000 articles which were seen by millions of people worldwide.) I’m also co-author of a book called For Love: 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, which is on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
I live in southern California along with my husband and my two toddler boys.
This blog is about what I love, the tough experiences that I’ve learned from, and my journey as a second time entrepreneur. Right now, I’m in the midst of a 365 day challenge, to read one book a day. If you share my passions or want to learn some cool new facts, come along for the ride. I hope to inspire, educate and entertain you!
