sumi-e paintings by dalia doksaite

i am in the mood for some ethereal softness and these sumi-e paintings by lithuanian artist dalia doksaite, rich with tradition, are fitting the bill.

so delicate and dreamy.

see more beauty at dalia’s website.

via meno duobe

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cathy cullis paintings and mixed media

i love these loose and darkly colored watercolor stylings from the prolific uk poet, writer and artist cathy cullis. these beautiful pieces are actually sketches for the a new collection of handmade dolls cathy will make. they are dripping with abundant energy and possibility, that is for sure.

see cathy’s website to see her broad collection of work and to contact her, see her flickr stream for inspiration and visit her two etsy shops to see what fabulosity is for sale (really GREAT work, see for yourself below)!

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annie patterson illustrations

reader theresa pointed me to award-winning alaska artist annie patterson’s illustrations, and i am so happy that she did. annie is a published children’s book illustrator and has a delicate, detailed style and motifs that make your imagination float away with the wind.

see annie’s portfolio on her website and check her blog out too for news and updates.

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jordy fu’s recycled cut paper lamps

this cloud series of handmade cut paper lampshades from chinese designer jordy fu is so delicate and pretty, isn’t it? jordy created them to add magic and intimacy to everyday lighting. i think she has achieved her goal.

the lamps, made of recycled paper, come flat packed and include an energy-efficient light bulb. purchase them and see more at jordy’s fun website.

via inhabitat

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christina vantzou illustrations

look at all the stories being told in these soft and lovely limited edition screenprints from belgian artist christina vantzou.

purchase these prints at christina’s supermarket shop, and see more works on her website.

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la pomme sewn toys and pillows: miniview

i am back from my weekend in nola, which was lovely (more on that later). equally if not more lovely are these soft linen and cotton pillows, sachets and toys from philippines-born, french-based artist apol lejano-massebieau, aka etsy seller lapomme. many of the pieces in apol’s dreamy collection are crafted from rescued and recycled materials and stuffed them with delicious dried lavender. each and every piece also has a wonderful and quirky story behind it. i wanted to know more of apol’s personal story, so i asked just three questions…

q: where do you live, and where do you make your lovely things?
a: i live in a little village in southwestern france, and i used to sew on my dining room table, until it stopped being fun finding pieces of thread in the salad. so i recently bought myself a little mobile home and installed it on the property, beside my dry garden. i painted the walls a shade called raspberry, and from march to mid-april i have a view of flamingos feeding in the marsh in front. it is wonderful to finally have a space for all my mess!

q: do you have an art background? how did you get into making these sachets and pillows?
a: what i am, mainly, is a writer, who had always had a deep appreciation for the visual arts and the fabric arts. sewing was something that i did on-and-off, and had always wanted to do more of, except that life had always been too busy.

when i was a child, my sisters and i would prepare for christmas by making handmade toys to give to cousins, although sometimes the toys were so freaky our cousins would cry. then at university i was part of the costume department of a theater group, and i got to make fun objects like a stuffed octopus and metallic dance suits. then i stopped for more than a decade as real life and a high-pressure job happened.

after a serious rearranging of my life, finally, after a long iI am able to again handle fabric, needle, and thread. this time, i have no plans of stopping.

q: would you rather sleep with lavender or eat it?
a: lavender in food requires a light touch, otherwise you feel like you’re eating a garden. so unless i really really trust the kitchen, i’d rather just sleep with the herb.

purchase these pieces and see the full collection at apol’s etsy shop, and say hi to her on her blog too.

thank you apol!

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paper cut art by peter callesen

danish artist peter callesen creates art and sculpture by making small cuts in plain white paper. this medium gives the work a fragility, which is harmonious with their underlying themes.

he focuses on the reinterpretation of childhood memories and classic romantic fairy tales, and is interested in the relationship between two and three dimensionality.

he considers his pieces to be a combination of dream and reality. when captured somewhere in between, they become living, bittersweet things.

he calls the metamorphosis of a flat piece of paper into a three dimensional form “obvious” magic, because the process is straightforward, and the figures remain attached to their origins, with no possibility of escape.

in that sense, there is also an aspect of something tragic in most of the cuts.

peter also creates large scale sculpture, like this floating polystyrene castle.

his poetic and intriguing work can be interpreted in myriad ways, by children and adults alike.

peter will be exhibiting in copenhagen later this year.

for more info about him, click here.

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