This is definitely NOT your grandmother’s embroidery… unless of course your grandmother has a thing for yetis and moon boots. If she does then Megan Whitmarsh is the artist for her! If you’re looking for something slightly different than this, don’t worry, Megan’s portfolio also includes a yeti carrying a pink boom-box through the forest, King Kong on a walk with Princess Leia, and King Kong rocking out with KISS. Awesome.

I think Roy might even be a little jealous of Greg Gossel. I know I am.

I found his work first, loved it, and then decided to read more about him. That’s when the soul crushing part of  the jealousy set in. Not only do I love his work BUT, he’s young… well, younger than me. He has shown all over the world. He has a huge body of amazing work. Sigh.

Deer heads and sharks and bears, oh my!

When I came across these beautiful screenprints by Christina Vantzou it was a tight four way tie, although I think the deer head ladies may have a slight lead. Christina lives and works in Brussels Belgium. I lived there years ago, but I don’t remember seeing any major shark attacks. Maybe I was hanging out in the wrong places… or the right places.

Magdalena Bors is a Belgian-born artist now living in Australia. Her work is photographic, but obviously the girl can handle a ball of yarn. She creates beautifully surreal landscapes within very ordinary environments, out of very ordinary materials (yarn, blankets, kitchen sponges, thumbtacks etc). I love finding work that looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before. So inspiring.

{I wonder how long this was on her living room floor? I hope she doesn’t have cats.}

Oh Martha Rich, as if your sketchbook didn’t make me jealous enough you had to go ahead and paint this. This piece is acrylic on wood and titled All Men Like Long Hair. I’m not sure what I love the most. Is it…

a. the witty (and true) title

b. the jiggly woman in sassy underthings

c. the jiggly jello-mold with cream

d. all of the above

I’ll have to go with ‘d’.

Not only do I love sandwiches, turtlenecks and butter, but I also LOVE Martha Rich’s sketchbook.

Promise to self: Later today, I will go out and buy a brand new sketchbook that I will then fill with thick paint, crazy creative imagery, and beautiful colours. No really, I will. Martha Rich, you have inspired me.

I usually show the work and provide a link but in this case the artist, Heather Baker, has asked that her work not be shown online (trouble in the past with people using her images without her knowledge). So instead, this is a photo of her fabulous antique shop/gallery, A Baker’s Dozen. Her work can be seen there live and in person. She makes 3D collages from salvaged antiques – some fancy and some is just old stuff discarded by others, but not by Heather. She turns them into strange and magical sculptures that make me want to cry (due to the overwhelming inspiration & jealousy).  If you’re ever in Vancouver you have to stop in. Ask specifically to see them because they’re in the back gallery.

A Baker’s Dozen . 3520 Main Street . Vancouver BC . Canada

I wish I could get a closer look at these pieces by San Francisco artist, David Fullarton. I already think they’re amazing, but I’m sure I’d love them even more if I could get in there to see the details. In case you need new glasses too, the text on the top image reads, “These are the things we will no longer tolerate”  and the piece on the bottom reads,  “A complete inventory of everything I have felt whilst watching TV over the past 31 days.”

Careful kids, this is what you’ll dream about if you eat too much candy before bed. This piece by illustrator/artist Dave Barnes is like some kind of beautiful, surreal, vintage storybook nightmare… in the shape of a moose. Need I say more? Ok, I’ll say one more thing. I am so jealous.

There are so many things to love about this painting by LA based artist Nouar. Let’s start with the title shall we ~  All the Girls Love Ketchup… ah, so true. I’m a sucker for vintage advertising, so this colour palette and highly stylized illustration is next on my list. And last but not least, these two very sexy, pinup worthy, tomatoes in heels.

This piece is from her solo show called You Look Good Enough to Eat! that was hung at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York from February to March 2009. {I have mentioned, and linked to, the Jonathan Levine Gallery at least four or five times now. I should probably write a post called “I’m jealous of the Jonathan Levine Gallery” because, well frankly, I am.}