When I found these, I actually felt my soul being crushed by the weight of the jealousy.  I have a studio full of thrift store landscapes that I’ve been collecting for about a year. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them, but believe you me, it was gonna be AMAZING… but Wayne White beat me to it! He got to the thrift store first, bought all of the best vintage landscapes, and then {just to add insult to injury} he knew exactly how to change these 1970’s Bob Ross-ish oil paintings into modern, typographic masterpieces. LUV HURTZ indeed… I think my soul needs a bandage.

{Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas Texas, Wayne White: I Fell 37 Miles to Earth 100 Years Ago, February 20 – March 20, 2010 – Opening: Saturday, February 20, 6-8pm … you know you want to go!}

Sigh. I love this. So sexy, so fun and oh, so beautiful.

PULP ART BOOK is a collaboration between supermodel Joni Harbeck and photographer Neil Krug. Apparently it all began with one photo of Joni lighting a cigarette, wearing nothing but a feather headdress {that she made herself no less}, shot with some very old Polaroid film. Over 200 pages later this gorgeous book is full to the brim with 1960s and 70s inspired images. Even though they didn’t set out to create narratives, they obviously ended up there. I really wish that the very bizarre B-movie {that these shots could easily be stills from} actually existed… maybe that will be their next project? Hint hint Joni and Neil!

I’ve been jealous of other artist’s studios before, but never quite like this. These images are from Joe Fig’s book Inside the Painter’s Studio in which he gives the reader a unique glimpse into the studio, routine and daily life of 24 painters. Now, most authors would go into these studios to observe, take some photos and get their interview. Joe Fig did all of that… oh, and he also perfectly recreated these 24 work spaces into miniature sculpture form {11″ x 11″ x 9.5″} right down to the teeney-weeney oil paints and the splattered mess on the floor. Yep. I love this book, I love these sculptures, and I really wish I had that many bottles, tubes and cans of paint in my studio!

{The sculptures shown above are the studios of 1) Eric Fischl 2008 2) Malcolm Morley 2007 3) Barnaby Furnas 2006}

I wrote about American photographer Anthony Georgis late last year. A few days later, I got an email from him with a head’s up on this very cool project, due out in January 2010. So I waited, somewhat patiently, until January rolled around… and now, at last, the very cool project:

30 days On The Road for Levis. Ok, so who’s not jealous of how Anthony got to spend half the summer? I don’t know if he went from east to west, west to east or just all over the place in a random criss-crossing of the US, but does it even really matter? No, not when the results are what he ended up coming home with… and I’ll bet he even got a free pair of jeans out of it.

Oh Bonnie Lewis, if only I had found you before I posted my head + shoulders portraits show last week.

These lovely, and very colourful ladies, are from a series called Daughter Tales. Twelve of the paintings in the series are titled All Eve, followed by a number to distinguish them from each other. So, here’s my theory… either these girls’ parents weren’t very creative when it came to handing out names, or it’s a biblical reference to Eve, of Adam and Eve fame. Of course, both of these early morning theories could be completely wrong {I haven’t had coffee yet}. Bonnie, if you’re out there, let us know if I’m right, or if you do in fact know twelve different girls named Eve.

Flotsam’s Wonder Tonic… Oh, I gotta get me some of that! This amazing carnival-esque/folk art installation at Soap Gallery {San Francisco} is the creation of artist/advertising guy/father/surfer Mike Shine. I’m not only jealous of him, but of everyone that actually got to see this in person {see that guy drinking a beer, yeah… I’m jealous of that guy}. Mike just had another similar installation piece, called Flotsam’s Wonder Wagon, on display at the SFMOMA about a week ago, and I missed that too… I bet that beer guy was there.

{Photos via Fecal Face}

A little snip with scissors here, a little click of computer keys there and finito… the perfect combination of digital and analog! I have a background in fine arts and digital design so this work by Italian artist/designer/illustrator Nazario Graziano kinda pushes me over the edge in the jealousy department. Ah, if only we could all snip and click like Nazario.

{Here’s another jealousy inducing tidbit for you. He’s also the founder of a very cool online art+design magazine called ANTI Magazine, whose aim is ‘to showcase outstanding visual content as an online magazine and also through future exhibitions all around the world.’ And, good news… they’re accepting submissions.}

Well, I’ve got my evening planned. These soft, over exposed looking paintings by American artist Nicole Hayden make me want to spend the entire night on my couch wrapped in a cozy blanket, eating popcorn and watching old movies. Ok, that’s it, I’m making popcorn right now… who wants some?

I have written about Martha Rich so many times… I’m sorry, but I can’t control myself! When I paint in my sketchbook, I think of her sketchbook. When I try new colour combos, I think of her colour combos. When I am in the mood for cake, I think of her cake. For several possible reasons, {hunger, low blood sugar levels, the need for inspiration in the form of thick pink icing} I spent the entire day thinking about Martha’s cakes ~ so here they are. Now you can think about them too. Mmmm, cake.

{Coincidentally enough, she has a new site called cakeandlobster.com… hm, maybe my next ‘I ♥ Martha Rich’ post will be about lobster?}

So clearly I have a thing for mixed media, especially when found imagery is involved. I love these Mad Men-esque collages by Chad Kouri. I found him while researching my other latest crush, Netherland. They currently have a two man show on at Rotofuji Gallery in Chicago, but it’s closing this Sunday so put on your pantyhose n’ pumps and get down there asap!