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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bob crooks art glass

it may be sunny outside today, but we are still in the throes of winter here and i still need my shots of color. i will take them with gusto from the inspired glass work of uk artist bob crooks. bob is an internationally exhibited artist who has a studio in devon, and his one of a kind collection is made entirely by hand. bob is inspired by the material itself, in addition to architecture, nature and geometry. drilling deeper into those ideas he has made a success putting together soft curves and crisp angles with cloudy and clear surfaces. he has created a collection that compels us to discover the details.

this work makes me feel good, looking at the colors. this work makes me feel inspired, to see someone who so clearly, masterfully, effortlessly seems to integrate his talents and skills. we should all be so lucky to do that. we should all be so lucky.

see more beauty on bob’s website. when visiting the victoria and albert museum, be sure to look for his work there in the permanent collection. you might also be able to spot select pieces at cecilia colman, tracey macnee and the steam gallery at beer.

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james fowler abstract art - let’s chat!

look at these abstract paintings from canadian artist james fowler. the obsessive compositions are intricately crafted and orderly and are softened by the vibrant color palettes. unlike piet mondrian, the king of neo-plasticism, these pieces are less rigid with their looser lines, and break from the traditional exclusive use of primary colors. however, similar to others in the cubist-inspired movement, they tell graphic horizontal and vertical stories, which in turn create mazes in my mind. as my eye traces those details that twist and wind around, a gateway to mysterious stories opens that i could spend hours trying to unravel. let’s have a chat with james and find out a bit more!

q: where do you work?
a: i have a studio on queen street west, in toronto. it’s the birthplace of all that is cool in toronto.

q: what is your background, and did you study art formally?
a: i was not formally trained in art. my great grandfather was a commercial graphic designer and a water colour hobbyist, my grandmother also paints so i was born with a silver paintbrush in hand. by age six, i was doing paint by numbers adequately and by the time i was in the ninth grade i had surpassed the standard value exercises others were doing, and was stretching 4′ x 8′ canvases. i turned to the film for university and abandoned art for the film industry for many years. by 2002 though, i had had enough of the “type a” personalities in the industry, and after a friend asked me what i would do if i could never paint again, my path became pretty clear.

q: are your pieces made using acrylic paint exclusively or do you use some other types of media?
a: i’ve been thinking of switching over to oils. i’m currently working in acrylics, but also have another line of art that uses men’s business shirts and plaster in a low lever relief to tell stories of relationship.

q: how large are these pieces and what is their price range?
a: the pieces range from 8″ x 12″ to the largest (to date), 4′ x5′, but i’ve painted 3′ x 7′ pieces too. i do a lot of commission work and the work ranges from $300 to $2500 with the majority being 22″ x 30″ on paper unframed for $550 - relatively inexpensive in the art world.

q: what is your inspiration and message you want to send through these elaborately patterned pieces in these expressive color palettes?
a: i’m fascinated with the business world and what makes a strong capital market, what buildings are made of and what builds a city, who designs them and what makes good human traffic flow. i am also inspired by ancient decorative arts with a high level of craftsmanship, such as early chinese dynasty pots. there is something about steel and iron in molds too that is compelling, that frequently are used in the construction of cities or automobiles.

basically the collection consists of imagined cities from above, using color palettes to give a feeling of place or season or mood (winter in new york, paris in the spring, lost in the city, california, etc.) i’ve been doing the cities now for a while but i’m really encouraged from the attention my work has been gathering in the last six months. the work is also a lot about cities and traffic movement, about balance, a tough mix. i like to spend a lot of time away from the work and add in squares in fits and starts.

q: are you currently exhibiting in any shows or is there any other meaningful information you would like to mention?
a: you can see my work in the march 2008 issue of canadian house and home magazine, the special condos issue. it can also be viewed at toast restaurant and in stores on queen street east in leslieville. my new website is up, and i have a flickr stream as well.

thank you james!

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holger pooten photography

yep, it’s been blogged about before and i don’t care. these intriguing, explosive photos from german born, london-based photographer holger pooten are making me insane. how do these objects defy gravity? and do all robotic cats look the same underneath?

holger has an impressive list of clients that includes adidas, vogue, neo2 and nike, but this is some of his personal work. this part right here would be where i explain how he created these enigmatic images, but after researching i haven’t come up with any answers. then again, is explanation really a requisite for sheer enjoyment?

see more examples of holger’s talents on his website.

via gizmodo (and thanks for the tip technabob!)

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storylines wall shelf

i know i’m probably one of the last three people in the world who watches e/r, and i’m not ashamed to say it. this powder coated steel storylines wall shelf from dutch interior and product design house frederik roije reminds me of the heart monitor they frequently hook up to patients on the show, but it actually was inspired by soundwaves; specifically, the word bliss.

use it vertically or horizontally in singles or multiples for shelving, or simply place it on a wall to create some hanging interest.

it’s available in four different colors, measures 35″ x 8″ x 11″and sells for $319 at generate.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

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