It was that jumpy girl in the meadow that sealed the deal when UGallery asked me to be one of their guest curators… then I found the coral nail polish it ALL came together! I chose just over 30 pieces for my little collection, and these are a few of my faves… cactus and a giant watermelon? Yep, these really are GOOD THINGS. You can find the full collection right here…

{ps. all of it’s for sale…fyi, in case you’re in the market for a giant watermelon}

1) Valerie Chiang 2) Nicole Newsted 3) Mark Yaggie 4) Nicole Newsted 5) Bryan Jerabek

Juicy gardens on thick white paper. Gah! These are not your grandmother’s floral watercolors! Nope, this fresh n’ modern take on the subject is the work of American artist Kiana Mosley. The vibrant colors flowing into eachother, the big juicy blooms, the use of white space in these contemporary compositions: Love, love, love!

ps. I also love that she has a few of these for sale as $28 prints in her Etsy shop…

Flowers in full bloom, and beautiful, happy, lipstick-wearing ladies… ♥! This work was sent to me by Heraa Khan, an artist from Pakistan. She describes herself as a “miniature painter”, not because she’s miniature {I’m pretty sure}, but because most of her work is as small as 2.5″x4″ – these are gigantic compared to that, coming in at around 9″x13″… and, she makes everything herself.  I mean, everything: the paper, the paintbrushes, and the paint {which she keeps in sea shells!}. Listen to this:

“I have been trained as a Mughal and Persian miniature painter. My work involves transforming the old technique driven art form into a more personal and contemporary form of art. My work process includes making my own paints, my own paper (wasli) and making my own paint brushes from squirrel hair. I make lots of colors and store my paint in little sea shells.”

Amazing! No wonder those ladies can’t stop smiling… their lipstick has been applied with squirrel-hair! Tickley!

Ok, so, I’m a “dog person” … or so I thought! … I cannot get enough of these CATS! They are the work of UK based artist/illustrator Claire Softley, and I want a close up of each one of them in their own kitty-enhancing frame hung in a giant feline-grid on my living room wall! Now, I should point out that Claire makes a lot of work that doesn’t involve cats in any way. My faves are these shelves of cacti, and this lovely abstract piece:

Gorgeous. And with that, I’ll wish a happy weekend to all of you cat, and cactus, lovers out there! {apparently, that’s me!}

Oooh! The foresty, night-time world of American painter Casey Roberts … ok, now I want to carve my initials, and a rainbow, into an owl-populated, moth-covered tree. By moonlight. In the summertime. Sigh …  TJC ♥‘s CR

Oh, and you really need to hear how he makes these… they ain’t just paint on canvas:

My paintings are created with a photochemical process known as cyanotype. The cyanotype is a civil war era process that when exposed to sunlight and developed gives a vibrant blue image. I paint with this light sensitive medium directly on paper or canvas. With everyday items such as baking soda, bleach and peroxide I am able to achieve a range of colors and textures thru controlled chemical reactions. I repeat this process adding many layers until the image is fully realized, often finishing with watercolor painting or a collage element. It’s not as nerdy as it sounds.

{psst… he has a show opening at Vermont’s Walker Contemporary on Sept 13… go if you can!}

You have probably seen this gorgeous work by American artist Andy Curlowe before. He’s been featured on lots and lots and lots of sites, and clearly, I couldn’t resist either. The colors, the precise architectural lines combined with the loose work… and the mountains… ah, the mountains! I thought my post was finished, but then I found his sketchbook. Yep, I have a thing for fun, simple sketchbooks… Get ready, because it’s pretty different than what you just saw:

Ah-haha! I love it all… and what a perfect way to end the week… Dancing!

The stranger the portrait, the more I love it! These pretty, and slightly disturbing, girls are the work of Portland based artist Christina Romeo. I love the loose pencil lines, and I realize that the vibrant color is paint, but it sort of looks like cake frosting… and I sort of love that.

{Thanks to Jessica from StayWithYourself.com for the link to Christine’s work}

Oh, how lovely… the beautiful flowing garments of American artist Ron Isaacs … that are made entirely of WOOD!!! Yes. Wood. All of them… even that blue “silk” dress at the top. Cut, layered, painted wood.  Sigh. Insane.

{via sfgirlbybay}

Gasp! Did you see these on BOOOOOOOM earlier this week? So beautiful, so haunting, and oh so skillfully painted. These stunning portraits are the work of South Korean artist Yong Sung Heo. Stark white hair, and those piercing, pinkish eyes – so harsh, but so soft at the same time. Yep, I think these require one more Gasp!

{via BOOOOOOOM}

The color! The brushstrokes! The classic subject matter that’s been made totally fresh and ridiculously modern! I’m sure you’ve seen the work of Australian artist Stefan Dunlop before, but I could not resist showing his latest work. I mentioned the color, brushstrokes, and treatment of subject matter right? Oh my word… it’s all just so good.

{If you’re in Sydney on September 20 ~ 22, you can see his work in person at the Sydney Art Fair with the Edwina Corlette Gallery}