carrie pollard photography: miniview

there is so much strength in simplicity, and that is why i love the poetic composition in these terrific photographs from california artist carrie pollard. carrie’s pieces look like they’re full of stories and feel effortless and satisfying, like taking a walk with your best friend in the park on a spring day. ever curious to know more about the brains behind the operation, i decided to ask a few questions…

q: how did you get into photography?
a: my love of photography started in high school — roughly 10-12 years ago. at first, it started as a way to get out of class (lol) but then i really really started getting into it. i’ve taken many many classes on photography since then, and have done lots of portraits. i still love doing nature shots more than anything though.

i plan on being a full time photographer within three years.

q: what inspires your creativity?
a: blank walls! haha.

i would have to say that my creativity is inspired by nature. i love the outdoors and if i am inside you will find me looking outside. when i see a pretty scene, i want to share it with everyone!

see more of carrie’s collection here and purchase prints at her etsy shop.

thank you carrie!

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carambatack illustrations

(ed.note: hey, everybody! 500th post!)

i could get swept away in these illustrations from norwegian artist annette mangseth. i love the colors she uses and the serene tone she sets with her dreamy images.

she has a combination of original pieces, little one of a kind art cards and prints available. everything is clean lined and orderly, which makes it much easier to get lost in imagination, don’t you think?

purchase annette’s work at her etsy shop and see her flickr stream too for more lovely things.

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sleepy urbanite photos by yvonne doll

look at these awesome nap snaps of folks snoozing on the local trains, from chicago artist and musician yvonne doll. to achieve her goals of creating impromptu art and capturing beauty in everyday moments, she sneaks discreet photos with her cell phone camera of people sleeping on the public transportation in the city and has compiled them all on her website, the sleepy urbanite. it’s a tranquil, poetic and peaceful collection of portraits with a ubiquitous theme - the brief and luxurious, drowsy, torpid moments of blissful slumber.

since being in close proximity to each subject is a requirement, i admire how she can connect with her subject, even as a sort of clandestine “undercover” artist. i enjoy the harsh artificial overhead light and natural light combinations, which give a very authentic taste of what it’s like to ride around the windy city on the el (frequently jarring and noisy but oh-so-quiet in these portraits). i also find it amusing that in many of these photos, other folks surrounding the sleeper succumb to the sweet idea of catching a quick cat nap too. i wonder if the ones that choose to stay awake are a little jealous.

see all the photos on yvonne’s website, and read her blog too, for one person’s unique glimpse of the residents of chicago.

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stone buddha garden art

i wish my yard was big enough to fit this gorgeous sculpture! it’s made of cast stone and aggregates with a steel frame, and is meant to look like a fragment of a much larger sculpture. some of the components will age more quickly than others, adding even more poetic character.

it’s a substantial 36″ l x 24″ w x 9″ d and weighs 60 lb.

purchase it at dharmacrafts.

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handbuilt ceramic sculpture by beth ozarow

look at these calming clay sculptures from california artist beth ozarow. beth builds by slab, coil construction, modeling, or molds, and finishes with acrylic paint. her current collection features works of busts and heads, each piece a combination of its own unique character and a projection of her own quiet energy.

beth likes her focus to remain limited with regards to form and color, until her mind naturally shifts to take her down a new pathway. recent additions to this body of work include birds and other allegorical images, which are becoming progressively stronger, and not necessarily dependent on the human forms that began the series. she frequently does not know what character will emerge during the creative process until the final painting, and enjoys being surprised by letting each piece finish itself without a set plan.

beth received a bfa in sculpture from the rhode island school of design. she lives in san francisco and has space at the clay studio in soma.

more about beth and her work here.

purchase her work at the artful home.

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gorgeous serene ceramics by alyssa ettinger

new york artist alyssa ettinger makes very special hand-thrown and slip-cast pottery. there is something so opulent in the simplicity of her designs.

her beautiful knitwear line is available in four soothing colors, as well as several different “stitches.”

it’s made of porcelain, and is casual enough to mix and match with ease.

her serene mieko bowls are named after a friend who inspired her to return to pottery after a successful career in magazine photo styling, and also authoring a book entitled the eBay home makeover.

since all of alyssa’s pottery is hand-thrown, and fired at different times, sizes and colors will vary slightly, which only adds to the beauty of her collection.

i love how it looks like she just pressed her sleeves into the clay before it was dry!

for more info about alyssa, click here.
click hereto purchase at her etsy shop.

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