natasha newton paintings and illustration

i like the clean lines in these pretty little ink drawings and acrylic paintings from uk artist natasha newton. there is a lot of depth, texture and good positive energy swirling around here now that i’m looking at them.

see more in natasha’s etsy shop and website, and say hello on her blog too.

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sara kirkpatrick softies & prints: miniview

i think serious looking animals are whimsical, and since i like to laugh, there is something about lighthearted anthropomorphic imagery that i highly enjoy. it’s probably because i am convinced that my beloved pets are talking, reading the paper and doing card and circus tricks to pass the time when i am not around. when i look at the plush and paint work of sara kirkpatrick i know i’m not alone in my ways of thinking. sara creates imaginative felt animals and very funny and expressive portraits of bunnies, bears and other animals. there is a pleasing story behind each worried, innocent or gruff-but-loveable character and it makes me want to know more! so i asked…

q: where do you live and where do you make your art?
a: i live in a little house in athens, ga with my husband and our very sneaky cat. i share a tiny studio room with my hubby’s guitars and keyboards, but i usually end up working on projects in my living room (often listening to this american life archives or an old friend of a movie that i’ve seen dozens of times.) my couch is perpetually covered in glitter and felt scraps and lost sewing needles! (be careful where you sit if you ever come over…)

q: what inspires you to create?
a: i am inspired by dreams, music, stories, film, dogs with beards, cats with one eye, the sound of the wind through the trees, other people’s amazing creations… inspiration is a bit tricky and usually visits me in random spurts. sometimes i feel very uninspired for weeks at a time, and then i’m flooded with ideas. i keep a sketchbook on my bedside table and usually reach for it when i’m very sleepy. when i look back, i find i’m most attached to the little doodles that i barely even remember drawing.

q: who is your favorite in your shop right now (we won’t tell the others)?
a: hmmm… i think my favorite in my shop right now would have to be sunny (below). i love the way the colors came together, though i am thinking of making a little birdie friend to sit on sunny’s head. i get very attached to every creature (or painting) that i make. sending them off to their new homes can be difficult. i actually cried when i sold olive (below, second photo)… i was thiiis close to keeping her for myself!

q: who exactly is the blueberry bandit?
a: i guess you could say the blueberry bandit is me, or maybe my alter-ego. i once made a little softie (it’s my etsy and blog avatar), he was very simple and kind of sad, and i instantly felt like i had made a self-portrait in the form of a softie. the blueberry bandit is shy and timid on the outside, but secretly a bit mischievous and fierce, a quiet little creature that steals blueberries when no one is looking! (i’m not sure i’ve ever actually stolen a blueberry, but you know what i mean…)

purchase these pieces at sara’s etsy shop (and make sure you take advantage of her two year etsy-versary (now through june 28th!) and be sure to cruise over to her blog to say hello too.

thank you sara!

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noferin artworks

oh man i am running around like a freak today so this may be the only thing i dash off to you, stupid stupid me clicked private draft on this and it never got published yesterday! so sorry! but i (still) think it’s a good one! behold the lush and magical artwork of australia’s noferin! these richly detailed works come from the minds and imaginations of candy and nicho. they seek to tell us of the colorful tales of carrara island and the pecanpals, some very lovable-looking and bulbous-headed characters who inhabit the mythical island.

boy, am i tempted to pack a suitcase and move to carrara island now…

see candy and nicho’s work in person for a limited time beginning june 20th at gallery 1988 in san francisco, say hello to them on their blog, view their flickr stream and head over to their website to see more and purchase delightful things.

via notcot and drawn!

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adam normandin paintings

beautiful textures in these acrylic on wood paintings from los angeles-based artist adam normandin. adam is attracted to the beauty and subtle details in things people pass by on a daily basis, and is inspired by old and worn industrial objects. these freight trains are a perfect example. the cars, weathered by non-stop travel for years, possess just the right amounts of unique individuality, rich history and grace that adam seeks to expand on and show us.

see more of adam’s work in a variety of places: gallery 33 east in long beach, george billis in los angeles, and finer things in nashville.

contact adam and view more works online on his website.

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heli sengezer paintings and mini art

say yes to cuteness. the warmer weather will be coming and as a reminder if i had my way, i would line a whole hallway with these fun summer dress acrylic and embroidery paintings from finland born, istanbul-based artist heli sengezer. i love her choice of colors and patterns and the carefree breezy feeling i get when i look at them.

of course i am assuming you have seen her other funny handicrafts like this jewelry and mini wall art, right? i have seen them around, but i had not seen her paintings.

you can go say hello to heli on her blog. purchase the accessories at her etsy shop, view more work on her flickr stream and purchase these works at her dawanda shop.

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erin smith mixed media art

i love the rich and humorous mixed media collection from georgia artist erin smith. these printed giclee collages are crafted from a combination of acrylic, watercolor, inks, paper, found objects and digital media. the folks in the vintage photographs are her relatives, and the witty prose of course is her own.

this may come as a surprise to some of you but the feeling of being on edge comes quite naturally to me. i think these pieces are an almost perfect reflection of some of my innermost thoughts. do they reflect your thoughts too?

find erin’s collection at uncommon goods and mud and metal, and be sure to visit erin at her website too.

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natasha preenja paintings

these acrylic paintings from indian artist natasha preenja are making me dizzy in the best way. i love the patterns and lines combined with soothing color schemes and the strong feminine subject matter.

wah - i hunted around but found no website for natasha. i found these pieces on pav’s lovely blog, though, and you can click over there to see more of natasha’s work and more cool things!

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artghost prints

seattle artists (and husband and wife team) eric adler and liz wong make prints and paintings, personal accessories and greetings with retro style and a wicked sense of humor for their artghost studio.

purchase these pieces at the artghost website, see what liz and eric are doing at their blog and be sure to check out liz’s website too!

via indie shopping

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sarah thirlwell contemporary wood accessories

i love the contemporary handturned birch, ash and sycamore home and personal adornments with vibrant acrylic accents from uk artist sarah thirlwell. sarah uses sustainable timber and reclaimed acrylic to create these pieces, and her collection includes vessels, vases and jewelry.

sarah will be exhibiting at the liverpool design show from june 19th - 22nd, 2008. see her full collection and contact her on her website.

via cribcandy via designklub

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iris schwarz illustrations: miniview

look at these enchanting and slightly surreal digital collage pieces, from swiss artist iris schwarz. there is something familiar about these delicate works which draws me to them, like i’ve seen them in a museum or maybe while i was daydreaming. iris uses ink, pencil and acrylic, and also draws upon a variety of vintage influences and imagery to complete her intriguing collection. even her shop name, which is called paulette edition, was inspired from her love of things old fashioned and very french! ever curious to know more about the brains behind the operation, i asked a few quick questions…

q: how did you get into creating these lovely illustrations?
a: after my graduation in graphic design and illustration i’m now self-employed for about ten years. graphic design always was more of a job, but illustration/drawing/painting is my real passion. i started with editorial illustration for several magazines and newspapers, today i work more as a freelancer, selling my art and illustrations online or direct to my audience.

q: what inspires you to make art?
a: art – contemporary, but even more the old schools (italian renaissance, the dutch school – i adore this accurate work), fairy tales, craft – i’m impressed by certain skills people have, victorian illustration. almost everything old… illustrated books, textiles, furniture (antique shops or flea markets are my obsession, especially in paris!), nature is very important to me, sometimes a conversation, beauty.

q: do you have a favorite medium to work in?
a: a pencil, a brush and paper. but, i must admit my iMac (photoshop) and me became really good friends too!

see the conplete collection, purchase these pieces and contact iris at her etsy shop.

thank you iris!

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cool necklace round up

gather round kids, it’s time for the weekly round up, and today we’re having a fun look at some clever and unique contemporary necklaces…

fine tune metal pendant from antlitz design

english summer necklace from mixko

elizabeth scott’s shallow water necklace; moskow necklace from charlotte tollstén

sherry truitt’s bull’s eye blue spirit necklace

catherine chandler’s pod necklace

branch necklace from sharma designs; hedgehog button necklace by the magpie’s nest

zipper necklace from frans van nieuwenborg and martijn wegman

small petals necklace from yoko izawa

nesting box necklace by ruth baillie for her birdland creations

gold knit collar necklace with semi precious stones by barbara silverstein

silicone star planeta necklace

know yourself pendant from melanie favreau; small glasses necklace by small things designs

third time’s a charm necklace

18k gold vermeil adage necklace from kimberly baker

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bei le xian paintings

i like eggs, which must be part of the reason why i am enjoying the simple curves of these watercolor, pastel and acrylic paintings from singapore artist bei le xian. i see eggs. i also like the playful themes.

the hiding elephant is my favorite.

see more original works and prints at bei le’s etsy shop.

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