Archives For inspiration

Brain Candy

06/02/2010 — Leave a comment

Today finds Charm City buried once again, in a blanket of sparkling white. The effect is beautiful, bewildering and even a little inspiring though at some point after hours of shoveling, the snow will become less than charming. In the meantime, here is a piece of visually stunning eye/brain candy straight from Japan for you, dear readers, snowbound or otherwise:

Doesn’t this just make your eyes smile and the snow a little more fun?

While I’m on the subject of artists whose work gets my creative tail wagging this week, these videos of Lucy McLauchlan working just blow my mind. It makes me want to lock myself in an empty room with a gallon of paint or ink and have at it; though somehow I doubt the results would be comparable. Check it out:

WOW, I love this woman! The density of the illustrations she generates are incredible, and the intensity with which she works is so inspiring. There is so much work to be done…

She One

10/11/2009 — Leave a comment

Lately, I’ve been generating increasingly more work after having lapsed into a brief creative coma of sort earlier this year. As I shake off the creative cobwebs and jitters, I feel more compelled to work and tend to have more ideas than I can make good on or even record or realize.

Typically, when I get into this state of mind, I tend to pay even more attention to art, and find myself seeking out new ideas, inspiration, artists, etc. Recently, a friend turned me on to She One and not surprisingly, the cogs in my brain are turning and cranking out of control:

I’ve been dreaming of letterforms and just haven’t made good on the pictures in my head. Perhaps it’s time to roll up my sleeves and dig in… Where have you found inspiration lately, dear readers? Has it been from new stars in your own field, or seemingly more abstract sources? Talk to me people.

Trove

25/06/2009 — Leave a comment

Wallpaper has never really been something that appealed to me very much, but I may have to reconsider after discovering the beautiful papers available from Trove. The inventive designs and colorful reproductions are stunning. Here are my favorites:

Auva by Trove

Auva

Alula by Trove

Alula

Ankaa by Trove

Ankaa

Indi by Trove

Indi


I LOVE this last one – magpies and crows are such lovely birds, tricksters with beautiful proportions and graphic style; they always made the winter and spring in Sweden so much more enjoyable to watch…

What do you think? Looking at these gets me thinking about wall coverings and treatments with a new perspective. What are your favorite wall treatment ideas lately? Do tell.
Images: Trove

For as long as I can remember, art has been a profound source of joy and is something for which I maintain a healthy appetite. The portion of my brain relegated to art is no doubt the majority which might explain my distaste for all things trigonometric or vacuum-related. Anyway, I tend to spend a lot of time seeking out new work, artists and sources of inspiration. While I visit museums and galleries as much as possible, there are so many online sources from which to derive inspiration these days that it is almost staggering.

Lately, I’ve been looking at illustration more and more. Today the work of Iveta Abolina, also know as OneSweetOrange has caught my eye. I tripped over her by way of Etsy.com and immediately found a number of her pieces that I would love to hang in my home. The graphic quality of her work and the organic flow of the compositions excites my eye. Here are a few of my favorites from her Etsy shop:

Sonnet by OneSweetOrange

Sonnet

Forbidden Thoughts by OneSweetOrange

Forbidden Thoughts

Little Bird by OneSweetOrange

Little Bird

At $20-$50USD, most of her work is terribly affordable; the only question is, which to buy? Take a look at Irena’s Etsy Shop and more of her illustrations and design work at OneSweetOrange.com.

Images: Iveta Abolina/OneSweetOrange

Fuel

05/12/2007 — Leave a comment

Playful exploration and inventive vision prove far too difficult without the proper mental fuel… Perhaps I’m experiencing a fuel crisis of my own? Maybe time to seek alternative sources of inspirational fuel…