I’m either very consistent in my taste, or I’m becoming a broken record. Here is another lovely piece  “containing the signs of everydayness”. This is how Albanian born, now based in Milan, artist Anila Rubiku has described her work. It’s similar to the piece by Lisa Solomon that I posted a few weeks ago. I love them both and am wondering why I ignored my mother when she tried to teach me to sew. Damn it.

I don’t know the title, the dimensions or the story behind this piece.

I do know that it was created by Team Macho ~ a collaborative illustration and fine art effort composed of Lauchie Reid, Chris Buchan, Nicholas Aoki, Jacob Whibley, and Stephen Appleby-Barr.

I also know that I love it and that I’m very jealous… although not of the woman front/centre.

Soft Serve, 2004; oil paint on canvas; 84″ x 72″

I love this huge, colourful, weird, yummy looking piece by Tracy Miller. The subject matter for most of her work seems to be food, serving platters, or pretty much anything on a table top. Now I’m jealous, AND I want an ice cream cone… and maybe a beer.

Is this art or furniture?

The bottom line is that when I saw this I suddenly wished I had paid way more attention in grade 9 metal work. Obviously California based sculptor Shawn Lovell showed up for class. A few years, and an art degree from CCAC later, she ended up creating this dreamy piece of art that you can sleep on.

How’s this for a conversation piece over dinner… literally.

Adam Wallacavage is a photographer and obviously a sculptor. He had a solo show at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York last year called Les Trésors de la Tanière de Neptune which consisted of many, many ocean inspired octopussy-like chandeliers. I don’t think this piece, “Happy Colored Marbles”, was from that show but it’s the one that made me the most jealous, so here it is.

I can honestly say I don’t own one comic book, but I love this piece from Chris Ware‘s “Building Stories” project. It must be my small obsession for mundane, domestic subject matter.

“Building Stories” is made up of a whole bunch of these beautifully drawn, or “cartooned” panels and can be seen online at the Carl Hammer Gallery (Chicago). There is also a great article written by Chris about this project in The Independent. 

French artist & illustrator Julien Pacaud still makes me jealous every time I see his work… and now he has a new site which is being updated with new work more often than his blog that I linked to a few posts back.

Photograph of an old, beat up couch? Nope. It’s acrylic & oil on panel. I am not usually a fan of photo real painting, but the work of Toronto’s Holly Farrell is amazing. Her talent is obvious, but the hook for me is the subject matter. She paints everyday domestic objects, giving them a personality, more like a portrait of a character than just a simple still life.

Around eight years ago I walked into a room at the National Gallery in Ottawa and saw this papier–mâché dress (displayed with other similar pieces) and was instantly inspired jealous. Canadian art icon Gathie Falk is now 81 and she’s still making art… if that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

Yep, crayons.

Not only did I think “Damn I wish I thought of that”, but I also thought “Damn I wish I had the patience to pull that off.” I love the feeling of childhood that Diem Chau creates with this piece (I can almost smell the crayons), not to mention the meticulous execution. This is an example of her older work, but I loved it so much I couldn’t pass a chance to show it. You can find this, and her current work (ceramic pieces covered in embroidered silk) at diemchau.com

I’m doing everything in my power not to write “Carpe Diem Chau”… but clearly I can’t control myself. Sorry.