Karl Blossfeldt Botanicals

In honor of the early spring weather I've enjoyed this week, it seems completely appropriate to dedicate a post to today's topic: the well-before-their-time botanical photographs of German artist Karl Blossfeldt.

My New Aubrey Levinthal Painting {A 30th Birthday Gift}

Hello again, friends! You know how this next sentence goes: I apologize for my absence then make some silly promises to post more regularly...blah, blah, blah. Honestly, I guess I've felt a little tapped out while I wait for more home projects to commence.

In the last few days, I've finally had a few developments to share. Before anything else, I wanted to share my new original painting from Aubrey Levinthal, a talented artist and lovely person to boot.

Ben Pentreath {A Favorite from Across the Pond}

Have you ever come across an interior designer whose entire body of work speaks to you? I have and his name is Ben Pentreath. Pentreath, if you aren't already familiar, is a British designer, architect and shopowner with a traditional English sensibilities that translate to this American Yankee.

Ben Pentreath, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

New Exhibit: "The Enduring Designs of Josef Frank"

Is there a better way to start a week than with classic, colorful Swedish design? Definitely not.

As I wrote about Friday, the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia opened its new exhibition "The Enduring Designs of Josef Frank" last night. The museum kindly invited me to experience the Frank retrospective and I knew I had to share the details with you all.

Shopping for Art at Student Sales/Exhibitions

Have any of you seen the documentary Herb and Dorothy, readers? This film tells the fascinating story of a couple (Herb and Dorothy Vogel) with modest means as a postal worker and a librarian who amass a world-class collection of modern art. My take-away from that documentary was this: anyone, with any salary, can become an art collector if the passion and interest is there.

Today, I thought it would be fun to talk about one strategy for purchasing unique and still-affordable art: by shopping at art school student exhibitions and sales.

Meet the Artist: An Interview with Aubrey Levinthal

In early March, on a circuitous sort of etsy search, I found the artwork of Aubrey Levinthal. Her use of shadow and light really intrigued me, as did her choice of everyday subjects. I lingered awhile over each piece she had for sale. It didn't take long for me to notice that she was from Philadelphia and, like that, I knew I wanted to feature Aubrey here on this blog.

Aubrey, her artwork, and her home recently appeared on Design*Sponge, so I'm sure people are clamoring for a piece of this young artist's creative vision. I had a moment to chat with Aubrey and today, I'm happy to share that interview where we discuss inspiration, favorite artists and the City of Brotherly Love. You'll also see a number of Aubrey's pieces throughout this post which will give you a clear sense of her unmistakable talent.

Brand New Art Options from Wayne Pate

Last week I checked my inbox and discovered an exciting email announcement from artist Wayne Pate: his website is now flush with new prints and original pieces from Bella Foster, Olimpia Zagnoli and Pate himself. You may recognize the name Wayne Pate because I have talked about him several times on the blog and have few pieces from his website hanging in my home.

Wayne Pate's print "Urns" has a special spot in my living room, paired with a Miro print.

My living room walls are adorned with yet another waynepate.com-sourced piece: Bella Foster's "Still Life with Flowers," which was a wedding gift from a cousin of mine. 

Want to check out the new artwork? 

I've highlighted some of my favorite pieces below.

("Vase Chinois", $1,000 / "Bloom in Sag Harbor", $600)

 ("Donna No. 3", $100 / "Monstera", $75)

 ("Bookshelf", $115 / "Olive Jug Blue", $65)

("Vase with Flowers", $400 / "Summer in the Afternoon", $400)

Do you have a bare space in your home for any of this lovely artwork? 

Meet the Artist: Eva Wylie

Recently, I stopped into the Philadelphia Art Alliance to enjoy an after-work gathering with friends and, while there, I couldn't help but notice the current exhibit from artist Eva Wylie. Her work captures the detail of small items within large-scale silkscreen installations, requiring its audience to stop and ponder each piece slowly and deliberately.

This piece, "Embedded Threads" can be appreciated from the closest to the farthest vantage points.

("Embedded Threads")

("Earthturf")

("Overlaps")

("Side Splits")

("Close to (Near Berserk)")

I am glad to have discovered Ms. Wylie's unique talent and am sure I'm not the only who would love to spend more time admiring the detail in each of these pieces.

Irving Penn's "Flowers"

Recently I discovered a series of photographs that master photographer Irving Penn produced in the late sixties, which were part of a now-out-of-print book that I'd die to own, called Flowers. 

If I could track down a copy for less than $300, I'd study every delicate details Mr. Penn captured from each flower in large scale. Feast your eyes on a few of these floral delights:

(all via Google and Hamiltons Gallery)

How fantastic would one of these floral prints be blown up to a dramatic scale?

As it turns out, I'm not the only one who loves the artistry evident in Irving Penn's flower photography. For one, Mr. Penn's fuschia peony photo figures prominently in the offices of Aerin Lauder's new lifestyle brand, Aerin.

(via Architectural Digest)

Yasmin Le Bon, model/wife of Duran-Duran's Simon Le Bon, has her own Penn poppy to display.

(via The Telegraph UK)

Isn't Irving Penn's collection of floral photography simply gorgeous? 

Anyone own a copy of Flowers that they'd like to let me keep on long-term loan? :)

But Where are the Red Curtains?

In April, my husband Adam and I started watching the early '90's show "Twin Peaks" created by David Lynch. I think it's safe to say that Adam and I were obsessed, which resulted in the show dominating our television screen for the better part of the month. 

Though the show only lasted two seasons, "Twin Peaks" introduced me to the quirky, atmospheric style of David Lynch who certainly has a way with creating a sultry-but-ominous mood. So, imagine my curosity when I heard the filmmaker had created a signature suite in the Hotel Lutetia in Paris!

Naturally, I pictured the "David Lynch Signature Suite" looking like the 'Black Lodge' from "Twin Peaks":

Nope. There is nary a red curtain to be found.

Instead, the director's suite evokes the Art Deco style of his 2001 film "Mulhullond Drive".

(all via Architizer)

Hear the director talk more about the suite here:

(via YouTube)

So, tell me: does the signature "David Lynch Signature Suite" seem like a place you'd like to stay?
Do you like to see how artists like Lynch reimagine their visions through new ventures, like hotels?

And, if you know Lynch's style, do you think these accommodations complement his work in film and on tv?

Visiting Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago

On our brief trip to Chicago, my husband and I admittedly weren't the best tourists. 

We didn't visit Lake Michigan or eat a Chicago-style hot dog or stop by the Field Museum...

but we did visit a fantastic spot that enlivened my soul as only art can do.

We spent last Friday morning slowly roaming around The Art Institute of Chicago, which is magical, really.

There's nothing like being in the presence of unparalleled greatness, and that's what the AIC offered.

I couldn't help myself but to snap seemingly thousands of pictures.

We saw Chagall.

 We saw Calder.

 We saw Georgia O'Keefe.

 We saw Paul Cezanne.

 We saw George Seurat.

We saw Pablo Picasso.

 We saw Jackson Pollock.

 We saw Yves Klein.

 We saw Salvador Dali.

 We saw Cy Twombly.

 We saw Alex Katz.

 We saw Constantin Brancusi.

We saw Barbara Kruger.

We saw Claude Monet.

We saw Willem de Kooning.

and, of course, we saw Vincent Van Gogh.

And we saw countless other interesting pieces, such as:

(all images via Meet Me in Philadelphia)

If the sheer number of images didn't emphasize it enough, I could have spent hours at The Art Institute of Chicago. What a special place to celebrate the diverse artistic talents of humanity.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!