So, I just discovered Aesthetica, a gorgeous “Art & Culture Magazine” from the UK. It was this stunning story, in Issue 51, about American photographer Garry Winogrand {1928-1984} that got me! He spent the 1960’s capturing beautiful moments in everyday American life  - from the rich and famous, to the average stranger on the street {… if you’re as captivated by these images as I am, you can see this work in person at SFMOMA until June 2, 2013}. Now, as fantastic as these spreads are, Aesthetica is not just about black and white vintage retrospectives, oh no! It’s also full of glossy, contemporary pages as well…

Yes! Enter the work of Montreal based fashion/editorial photographers, MarquisMontes, aka Jose Enrique Montes Hernandez and Valérie Boulet, partners in work and in life. Quite a contrast to the work of Garry Winogrand, but it all finds a perfect home in this issue. Gor.Ge. Ous.

So, by now you probably all know how I feel about beautifully mundane subject matter, right? So when I find a project description that reads as follows: “This work is about finding the beauty in things that perhaps one might over-look” … yep, I’m in! All of these plate clusters are from a series, titled Altered Perspectives, by Little Owl Design – aka Bruce Wayland and Marcello de Simone. They are collaborating artists from the Netherlands with “interests are in Art History, Fine Arts, Fashion, Design, Culinary World, Horticulture & Travel.” Well, that couldn’t be more clear!

Ahhhh, fresh-cut flowers in simple glass jars. If you love having flowers from the garden in your house every day, then you’re in luck – these are all from a very lovely “painting-a-day series” by Lisa Daria {most of them are 6″x6″ and only $100!} Oh boy, I think I might need a house full of these lovely bouquets… it is officially Spring, right?!

{via Artsy Forager on Pinterest}

Yes. It’s true. Almost exactly one year later, and I am still jealous of American painter Michael Carson… but here’s a new twist… I’m also very jealous of my friend Charlotte, because she just bought this Michael Carson original:

Sigh… excellent choice, Charlotte.

Yarn-bombing… mushroom style! American artist Leigh Martin makes these little wooly fungi, and places them in nature. I wish she left them there for awhile, but I suppose that wouldn’t be very eco-friendly. It sure would be cool to unexpectedly see her work while out for a leisurely walk in the woods! And with that, I wish you a happy weekend filled with outdoor {and artsy} adventure!

Look what I found yesterday! Delicate, and wonderfully weird, drawings by American artist Marie Gardeski. Giraffes eating what I assume is coral, a monolithic head named ‘Ethel’… oh, oh! … and my favorite title in the bunch, “keep it down back there” {can you guess which one that is? yep, the camel with the kid humps, of course!} ♥

Sigh… it’s pretty amazing what can be done with acrylic and colored pencil… well, I suppose I should say, it’s amazing what Montreal based artist Alexandra Levasseur can do with acrylic and colored pencil. Love, love, love {Flowered underpants, random flames, and a fur coat… oh yes.}

You might recognize this as the work of Chilean artist Jose Romussi…

Gorgeous, yes? I’ve gushed over his Dancer series, as have countless other bloggers, and pinners, and tweeters… BUT… it was only recently that I saw these pieces:

Embroidery, and sewing machine on photographs, from a series titled String Figures. Oh my word, I love them so, so much… especially the message being “held” in that first piece. Kinda makes you want to just exhale, and let a few “mistakes” happen.

Yes. Oh my goodness… YES!!! This is a series, titled Attraction, by Australian artist Maz Dixon. Sigh… these hilarious paintings whisk me off to my childhood instantly! Oh, I wish that I was spending a sunny day at the beach with a giant pineapple, a huge shrimp, AND a dolphin that I could kiss – but I digress – here’s what this series is all about:

The Attraction series is an examination of the prescriptive nature of souvenir media. Souvenir manufacturers photograph the scenery and attractions of a holiday destination, and mechanically reproduce these scenes for mass consumption through postcards, view-folders, tea towels. These items become instruction manuals for viewers, showing them how they are to experience their destination. Mass-produced imagery becomes mass-produced experience.

By separating figures and landscape from each other, the relationship between viewer and souvenir is realigned. With context removed, the viewer is free to create their own narrative around figures or landscapes.

Yep… and my narrative includes a giant pineapple, a huge shrimp, AND a dolphin that I could kiss.

Happy weekend! Today, collage artist Hollie Chastain and I are pretending to be at Aretha Frankenstein’s in Chattanooga TN. Ready for a giant stack o’ pancakes? Of course you are!

JC: hi hollie! oh my word, this food looks good! what are you gonna have? any recos?

HC: oh man, that’s the big question. there is usually a bit of a wait here, because it is amazing, so i have time to think and fret. i’m thinking the sodbuster omelette this morning with coffee and orange juice. but if you’ve never had their pancakes, then you have to try those.

JC: is this your usual brunch place? your kids must LOVE it here!

HC: they do love it! i don’t bring them as often as i should. is that awful? i think it is. brunch is usually my recovery, quiet, down-time with the husband or a friend after a night out when the kids are at the grandparents so they miss out. now i feel bad and i’ll have to bring them this weekend for some yummy goodness.

JC: you better! they might smell the pancakes on you when you get home! speaking of kids, you sometimes have children in your collages – are those your kids? do they represent your kids, or are they totally unrelated?

HC: some of them are my kids but i’ve only done that intentionally maybe once or twice. a few times i have unintentionally worked them into compositions. i don’t notice it at first until someone points out that it looks just like one or the other of them.

JC: so when we’re finished, what are you going to do for the rest of the weekend? art stuff? family stuff? both?

HC: i think that all of my time is a little bit of both. during the week i work until family stuff pulls me away and it’s the opposite on the weekends. i just got a fresh and wonderful batch of books so i know i won’t be able to stay away from the studio all day. i can feel those covers calling me!

JC: oh, your book covers…. i LOVE your book covers!!! do you have collages planned in your mind and then you go looking for the covers, or will finding a good one spark an idea for a piece?

HC: thanks! i really love making them. i never plan them ahead of time. when i find one i like i sit down with my scraps and move things around until something feels perfect. most of the time i will first decide what i can’t bear to cover up on the original cover and that is the beginning of the shape of the composition.

JC: where do you find all of those old books, and images that make their way into your collages?

HC: any thrift store or antique store usually has a book section and within that section a box or shelf or bin full of scrappy books. old textbooks are the best. the paper quality is heavy and sturdy because it had to survive years of constant manhandling by children. they also have the best doodles! i always try and find things that are at least a little bit falling-apart-ish but still have sturdy, straight covers. i remember being in a tiny little shop, in a tiny house, outside of nashville and  i found a ratty old newspaper from the 60s. as i was purchasing my stack i patiently listened to the owner describe in detail how to steam off the price sticker – i couldn’t manage to tell him i was going to disassemble it for the parts.

JC: ha! probably best not to break it to him! ahhh, thanks so much for having brunch with me hollie! let me get the cheque ; )

HC: you are too kind. thanks, this has been super fun!