Takashi Iwasaki

So in awe of these colourful and fascinating embroideries by Takashi Iwasaki. 

"Most of my recent works... are either visual recording of my daily life or visualization of my imaginary worlds or landscapes that no one would see unless otherwise depicted. Those recent works may appear to be abstract on the surface, however, most shapes and colors have meanings and origins that are very significant to me in the way I feel them, therefore they are very representational and are reflection of my state of mind."

I love the idea of sharing imaginary worlds that no-one would see otherwise... to me that's the basic point of art, both making it and experiencing it. Thanks for sharing yours Takashi Iwasaki!

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Santosha

"Being content with what is, accepting what is; making the best out of everything. The practice of gratitude and joyfulness; remain calm with success or failure. A state of mind that is not dependant on any outer feedback or event."

I've been away for a month at the aptly named Santosha yoga school! Learning yoga but also, hopefully, the above and much, much more.

And now I'm back!

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Kris Tate

Because there hasn't already been enough cats with lazer eyes on this blog yet!!! Amazing prints by Kris Tate. I might add that this weekend all shipping on the Society6 website is free... AND you can get all of the above images as motherflipping t-shirts! Guess which one I bought? Okay I'll give you a clue... it has cats. And lazers.

More Kris Tate here.

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Freya Stark, "Passionate Nomad" (1893 - 1993)

"To awaken... in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world."

Truer words; never spoken, bad ass old-timey travelling lady! Freya Stark was one of the first Western women to travel thorough the Arabian desert ..."often traveling solo into areas where few Europeans, let alone women, had ever been" (Wikipedia) See: badass!! And she set out at age 34... sending her straight to my "People Who Do Awesome Things A Bit Later in Life" as well as my "Inspiring Female Idols" list!

"Stark longed for the social security of the times: marriage and children. Proposals fell through, on occasion her beloved was married, or the romantic emotions she felt went unrequited - and besides, as a friend later pointed out, marriage would have spoiled her with its confinements. Rising above depression, self-imposed ostracism, and her numerous illnesses, Stark learned Arabic and how to climb mountains, map, partake in geographical digs, and find a niche in strange cultures" (from Amazon.com... cannot wait to get my hands on this book)

Sounds a bit better than being married with children just between me and you Freya! ;)

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Bubble

This video for the song "Bubble" by King Creosote & Jon Hopkins is so beautiful... like a melancholic Ponyo. The animation matches the music so wonderfully.

Really really awe inspiring video of the making of the animation here. I assumed it was all magically created by computers but it was even more magically created by hand! Well, part of it. Mind. Blowing.

Makes me happy that people are out there in the world making things this lovely.

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Lucy James

... is a new fave Melbourne artist to add to the list. I stumbled upon her work on Sunday in the project room at the Abbotsford Concent's c3 gallery, a neat little unexpected discovery! (The best part of that day it turns out... ugh to bad dates!)

"Born from encyclopedias, nature manuals and history books, this work explores collage as thought process, through paper scraps, cut images and refined compositions. This work aims to question the basis of ideas and where they come from, using the notion of strange beasts and bizarre situations, and the way these fantasies develop unconsciously in our minds.

The accumulation of collage material builds a fantasy world shown in a disjointed narrative, setting parameters for an alternate reality, which is displaced from our own but bears similarity in its elements."

I LOVE that Lucy's sense of humour shines through in not only her blog, but also the works themselves.

Look at that ferret minion! (Also this piece is entitled "Pussy Queen" *snickers immaturely*)

Inspired by Lucy's work I created a homage on our (okay, my) "Ginger Cats 2011" calender at work...

He he!

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You Never Write Back

Is an AH-MAAAAAAAAAAAZING new website where artists answer questions... in their own medium! So genius.

And Cat Rabbit (whose feathered friend you may remember me coveting a few posts back) is the first to be featured! This is her answer to the question "Tell me about your hideout"...

Greatest. Thing. Ever. (Also, Cat Rabbit can I please come over and play?) Go visit the site for more Cat Rabbit awesomeness. IT FEATURES AN EMBROIDERED PUG. Why are you still here??!

Man, I cannot wait to see who else is featured on the site! Who would be your top pick?

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Home Sweet Cottage

Getting my granny on in the cottage! I love a splash of colour (or ten) to brighten up a room :)

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"Je vais à l'amour"

"The wind? I am the wind. The sea and the moon? I am the sea and the moon. Tears, pain, love, bird-flights? I am all of them. I dance what I am. Sin, prayer, flight, the light that never was on land or sea? I dance what I am."

"Isadora Duncan", Carl Sandburg

"To seek in nature the fairest forms and to find the movement which expresses the soul in these forms—this is the art of the dancer. ... My inspiration has been drawn from trees, from waves, from clouds, from the sympathies that exist between passion and the storm."

"You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you."

Isadora Duncan, 1877 -1927

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Feathered Friend

Feathered necklace by Cat Rabbit. Get yours here (and by "yours" I mean mine. Miiiiiiiine!!!)

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Kitchen Sink

Got a bit bored when I was making muffins so took a few shots round my wee kitchen!

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Fuck Yeah Flouro!

Is it weird for a painting to kind of make you want to dance? Cause these paintings... *pumps fist*

From the "Systems of Space" series by Alexander Kori Girard.

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Bow-tastic

More awesomeness from chictopia. Work it laydeez!!!

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