At first, I thought, ‘Cool, vintage sign paintings’, until I realized what I was actually looking at… vintage signs and pop culture movies had a bunch ‘o babies! This is the work of Canadian artist Rob Croxford. Rob has been a full-time artist for almost two decades, but in May 2018, a studio fire all but destroyed his Toronto studio … and his complete inventory of artworks. I can’t even imagine. This series, titled “Sign of the Times”, is his fresh start. Here are Rob’s words about why he does what he does:

“As a child of the 70’s, I was mostly raised by television and movies. Advertising and pop culture became my religion and the wisdom I gleaned shaped my sensibilities as an artist … My new series of paintings is the culmination of all my obsessions. By integrating iconic movie quotes into the landscape of well worn roadside signage I am merging pop culture, nostalgia and humour. This blend of elements creates something familiar and yet completely new.”

Good luck on this ‘completely new’ adventure, Rob!

Gasp! “Built Quilts” … with a couple of appearances by Julie Andrews thrown in for good measure! This is the fabulous work of American artist {and set designer} Troy Murrah. Not only is the work wonderful, so is the inspiration behind it:

“Initially intended as a way to feel close to his mother (quilter and art educator Judy Murrah) after her passing, BUILT QUILT ended up being a great way to use up the salvaged material and bring new life to the old … Combining inherited family skills of quilting and carpentry, artist Troy Murrah uses thousands of wood fragments, cut from leftover remnants, to construct elaborate wall hangings that replicate traditional quilt patterns. Take a closer look, and find engravings of wallpaper designs—designed by the artist using imagery influenced by his past.”

I love every single little thing about this. Happy Monday.

Oh my word, OUI! This work, titled “Douceur de fleurs” / “Sweetness of Flowers”, is the work of France born, San Francisco based artist Suzanne Husky. Laundry detergent, hand soap and every other flower-scented product recreated in clay. The imperfectness of each bottle is perfect! This is what Google translates her statement to:

“Sweetness of flowers, Secret of the world, Feast of flowers, Natural freshness, Dream of nature. In addition to ensuring impeccable cleanliness, X makes you live a unique, purifying, sensory experience! An intoxicating scent gives your laundry a real escape from each wash. Corporate lyricism meets flowers.”

Ahhhh, I can smell the corporate lyricism from here! Happy Friday.

This is the dreamy work of Chinese-Australian artist (based in Melbourne and Sydney) Thomas C. Chung. I wrote about him years ago when his portfolio was full of fiber… but now it’s filled with neon and rainbow-filled skies printed on mirrors! Here is part of his artist statement about this 2018 show at Galerie pompom in Sydney:

“In a world that is in search of Utopia – reaching for such great heights – there is an uncertainty to this pursuit. In being vulnerable we become susceptible, a process which reveals its own limits.

“…It Was Like Seeing A Fallen Rainbow”, is an exhibition connecting the loss of innocence with our reflected self. Continuing my earliest years of research into exploring the childlike psyche, this lifelong narrative is a conceptual fusion mediating my interests in psychology, philosophy and contemporary aesthetics.

Utilising aerial photography, “From Up Above…So It Is” is a vast series of cloudscapes printed upon mirrors. The compositions are in a state of free fall, drifting in the sky, passing through a prism of colour and peering into the sea. Occupying a space between disturbance and the aftermath, a rainbow is a temporary rift formed by the dispersion of light. A moment between moments.

Sitting on a bed of chiselled stone is a text-based installation created in neon. The twisted sentence spelling out the title of the show. Contrasting elements of dense, dark stone the fluorescence of electrified glass is a play on weight and tone, content and tension.”

Beautiful.

“My intention with this work is to reduce a “landscape” into a minimalized and stylized form. For these pieces I use organic shapes that were sawed from wood panels and a pared-down color palette which mirrors the “fading” of these landscapes.”

Gasp! “SHE COULD HAVE BEEN A COWBOY” … now I want to be a cowboy! This is the most recent series by photographer Anja Niemi. Beautiful, bizarre, and like stills from a movie that I desperately want to see. I can’t find her artist’s statement about this work, so I’ll just have to let my imagination run like wild horses. ps. What makes this blush ‘n gold / American wild west narrative even more fantastic? Anja is from Oslo, Norway.

ps. This series is currently showing in Los Angeles at Galerie XII until June 22, 2019.

Do you love art? Do you love art books? Well, then have I got the perfect paintings for you! This is the gorgeous, large-scale work of American painter Robert Russell. If you happen to be in Los Angeles between now and June 1, go see his current show, titled “Book Paintings”, at Anat Egbi Gallery in Los Angeles. Happy Monday.

I don’t have an “art you can eat” category on the site, but clearly I need one! This is the stunning work of North London based artist/baker, Alison Dunlop, aka A.R.D Bakery… a “fashion designer turned baker”. How, why, what? Here  you go:

“Originally graduating from the Sculpture degree at Glasgow School of Art, I then moved into fashion accessories, studying at London College of Fashion Cordwainers then completing an MA in fashion accessories at the prestigious Royal College of Art. I spent 10 years working in the industry, designing bags, shoes and jewellery for many high end brands. 

I come from a family of home bakers, famed at the local fetes and bake sales, but hadn’t considered it as a career until maternity leave sparked in interest in experimenting how to put together classic baking with a design led high end fashion aesthetic. Further experimentation in chocolate work led incorporating bold, graphic patterns, strong colours and a fun playful look.”

And yes, I included that final photo as cold hard proof… well, moist delicious proof. Happy Friday.

{via art journalist, Anna V M Marks} 

WHAT. A 2D cafe that you wander around in!? I want to go to there. It’s a perfect black and white wonder where you can drink coffee, eat fancy treats and, clearly, Instagram your little heart out! This is YND 223-14 Cafe (previously YND 239-20 Cafe before they moved a few doors down) in Seoul Korea. I love everything about this fabulous place, so obviously I messaged them immediately to find out who did the artwork… the founder/owner Eun-Jin Lee responded with, “me”. Wow.

Will I ever get tired of writing about French artist Clémentine de Chabaneix? Non. Odd creatures, girls in masks, and that apple… oh, that apple. Actually, it’s one of her most recent pieces, and is titled ‘Apple-mouth
Tribute to Claude’ (Ceramic, Bronze, copper). I did a little digging, and the Claude this is dedicated to is Claude Lalanne, a French sculptor who just passed away in April of this year. Here is a little bit about her, and an insight into Clémentine’s tribute:

“Claude Lalanne was a French sculptor and designer most widely known for her work in the collaborative duo ‘Les Lalanne’ with her husband, François-Xavier Lalanne. Claude Lalanne’s personal work often manifested itself in the form of decorative flora and fauna, drawing from Surrealism and Art Nouveau in her furniture pieces. The artist also created jewelry which were often molded from twisted flowers, leaves, and branches made in copper and gilt bronze.” 

Women artists celebrating women artists… love, love, love. You can see ‘Apple-mouth, Tribute to Claude’ from now until July 15th at Domaine du Muy, a contemporary sculpture park in the south of France.