SheWalksSoftly

Trove Wall Coverings

September 12th, 2008

I’ve never given much thought to wallpaper, but I’m intrigued by Trove’s design concepts (click to enlarge).

The designs all come in various colors. Check out the one above in black!

The incorporation of movement and flight into a typically static product is quite beautiful, a nice break from the standard repeated interlocking patterns.

Entire walls covered with flying creatures may be a little too swarm-like for my taste, but I’d love to have those birds in a small section of a room.

Some of their designs even convey a seasonal feeling. Rarely have I seen wall coverings that create the mood of a room this effectively.

Source
Jiri Barta

September 11th, 2008

I’d like to be a fly on the wall in Jiri Barta’s brain (albeit very briefly, for fear of losing my already tenuous grip on reality).

Okay, okay…so I’m actually a very grounded individual. But life hasn’t yet pummeled the imaginative dreamer out of me either.

Hence my love of Barta’s Labyrinth of Darkness; a collection of short stop-motion animation ranging from six to 55 minutes and encompassing many types of mixed media. Amazing diversity of material and style.

I particularly love “The Club of the Laid Off;” a portrayal of a decaying warehouse used as a dumping ground for unwanted dolls and mannequins…who come to life and engage in awkward acts of typical human debauchery. The chipped rotting faces, frozen in painted joy create a clumsy desperate scene.

Honestly, I speak only for myself when praising Barta, knowing full well that creepy surrealist stop-motion does not possess universal appeal. A high tolerance for the strange and unusual is necessary to love his films.
The Jumping Brain

September 11th, 2008

Oh…my…

I MUST have Emilio Garcia’s Jumping Brain!

I love this thing so much, it’s ridiculous. One day…it will be mine. Oh yes.

There are many more photos in the lapolab Flickr site.
Magic Carpet Sofa

September 11th, 2008

Hmmm…this would go nicely in my library. Although it doesn’t look terribly comfortable (and my little feet would dangle helplessly off the edge…if they could even reach it), I love the design concept.

Image from 35 of the Most Unique & Creative Sofa Designs.

Some of this furniture is a bit horrifying, some is just plain gaudy, some is painful to look at. Others are impractical yet entertaining.

All are worth a look.
Michael Kenna

September 11th, 2008

Michael Kenna’s photographs span the globe and turn some of the most mundane subject matter into striking ethereal visions (often using long exposures for the effect).

It’s difficult to choose favorites. The archives are absolutely lovely.
John Rizzotto

September 10th, 2008

John Rizzotto is a contemporary realist painter who creates wonderfully traditional yet modern still life scenes.

Some still life can look dull and washed out, but Rizzotto’s vivid colors and sense of light really catch the eye.

I want to sit at the desks he paints, and write or draw in the warm glow of the lamp.

Great modern take on a traditional painting style.
Martin Wittfooth

September 10th, 2008

Martin Wittfooth’s surrealist paintings are nothing short of stunning. He has a penchant for plant and animal chimeras, and a tendency to juxtapose nature with the not-so-subtle influence of human destruction and decay.

He also has a few sculptures that are incredibly well done.

I look forward to seeing more of his artwork. I’m very impressed. Have a look!
Skullcakes

September 10th, 2008

Okay, let’s have some cuteness to forget the last post, which still haunts me. Check out these skull cupcakes, brought to us by the excellent Skull-A-Day blog.

Illustrator Andi Butler describes the process of making the chocolate skulls (it takes some talent!).

The little glasses pretty much made my night.
Elephant Skin

September 9th, 2008

Apparently this photo (taken in New York, 1933) has been making the rounds lately, but it was new to me.

The disturbing nature of a giant elephant skin slab is compounded by the appearance that the elephant has literally just deflated; as if the insides merely evaporated.

In doing an “elephant skin” google search, I was faced with the grim reality that certain people feel entitled to wear the skins of exotic, endangered animals. Even more infuriating is the fact that exotic animals had to die for fashions this hideous.

People never cease to amaze me.
The Visible Man and Woman

September 8th, 2008

I believe I had a Visible Woman Model Kit as a toddler, but was far too young to appreciate just how awesome it was.

They are still sold, and the model has gone surprisingly unchanged for the past 40 years.

The models are intriguing to look at, though I can imagine young children would be rather put off by them.

There is a small gallery of Visible Model Kits through the years here.