artpadsf

i just returned from the most thrilling art fair! actually, there were three this weekend: sf fine art fair, artmrkt, and artpadsf. the latter was my favorite. the first bit of awesome was the venue—the famed 50s-style phoenix hotel, located in the hottest art hood—the tenderloin. each of the participating galleries filled their glass-front hotel room with art and personal flair. the experience was uniquely san francisco, and each room reminded me of a different part of the city. they were playing good music next to a pool-side bar, all surrounded by mind-blowing art. i hope this event was successful enough to become a repeat occurrence.

i saw memorable works by phillip hua (hang gallery), scott scheidly (spoke art), fernando chamarelli (anno domini), mark whalen (launch la), megan whitmarsh (rosenthal gallery), and ryan wallace (guerrero gallery).

elisa zeppilli

elisa zeppilli is the talent behind fluttuo, a refreshingly-original collection of jewelry that makes me giddy. elisa hand-picks the materials during her frequent travels through europe and the united states. my favorite fluttuo pieces from the 2011 collection include meryl & isabelle. from the 2010 birthday collection, i love this little daisy bracelet. go discover your favorites, and be sure to find fluttuo on facebook for photos and updates on new collections!



i took these colors from the original fluttuo logo because they represent the beginning of my passion. i started fluttuo because i needed to do something that i really felt was mine—i needed to free myself, my creativity and make something beautiful and really unique with my own hands.

the name fluttuo (i float, in italian) was born from the idea that wearing a fluttuo creation would make you feel happy and light almost like floating in the air. all the fluttuo pieces are unrepeatable. this means that every woman who chooses a fluttuo design will be the only one to own and wear it. i think it's important for each of us to find ourselves the way we really are, without following trends, but choosing our own style and soul.

diego gravinese

soft frost comes to mind when i view the work of diego gravinese. the argentinian painter captures intimate moments in a wonderfully cold way. i find the layered compositions and cool palette calming, yet engaging. the paintings i enjoy most are milk girl, las leyes naturales, and my favorite thoughts (when i feel like a woman). also, be sure to check out gravinese’s older work so you can experience the interesting progression of his art.



1—the main color in milk girl. i love it because it is reminiscent of childhood memories—those light teal tiles of 70s kitchens.

2—the color of faded skies according to kodak slides.

3—skin. the central tone of the solar system in my paintings.

4—some sort of undefined grey. shadows are made of a mix of all the surrounding colors, and i love greys and non-colors for that same reason.

5—red. my favorite color.

scott london

scott london is a talented journalist, author, and photographer who has been capturing the magic that is burning man since 2004. black rock city is such a vast, intricate, and indescribably beautiful experience—i am always elated when i stumble upon photographers who have managed to record that beauty forever. here are a few of my favorite moments—blue couple, white stilts, playa nap, and lady in pink. you can read more about scott and his many fascinating adventures here.



1—burning man is set against a backdrop of desert, mountains and sky. its defining feature is the playa—a vast empty canvas for creative self-expression. i love it when the wind kicks up and the entire place is hurled through with dust.

2—watching the sun rise over the black rock mountains is one of life’s most exquisite rewards. the first rays of light are a golden yellow and always inspire a kind of hushed reverie.

3—the skies are never as blue as they are in the black rock desert. in the morning, shortly after sunrise, or in the late afternoon before dusk, i like to drag people out on the playa and make portraits against the soft blue sky.

4—as most burners will tell you, the event only fully comes alive at night when the playa is transformed into a carnival of flashing neon signs, wacky art cars, pyrotechnic displays and pulsing soundscapes. even on a moonless night, the sky is dark blue, alight with stars.

5—the beauty of fire is that it contains within it a remarkable spectrum of colors, from purples and reds to oranges and yellows. when the man goes up in flames toward the end of the event, the heat from the fire is so intense you can feel it a half-mile away and so bright you need sunglasses. a dazzling spectacle.

peter clark

today i bring you peter clark! i was able to view his stunning collage work in person last weekend at the san francisco fine art fair, where he was represented by rebecca hossack art gallery. peter uses his collection of old stamps, faded maps, love letters, buttons, and various other objects to assemble his collages. his mastery of color and shape allow these seemingly random items to form a cohesive and awe-inspiring entity. my favorites include franc, ten and a half, p.s. i love you, and too-2-step.



these happen to be my colours of the day, 1st june 2010. pleasing and inspiring.
converted from mypantone solid coated: 290 | 584 | 437 | 1788 | 163

rilla alexander

guten nacht! tonight i bring you rilla alexander, an australian illustrator who lives and works in berlin. she is incredibly talented and quite hilarious, which i discovered while reading about anthropomorphized pets on her blog. her illustrations are equally entertaining—i especially enjoy the unique shapes and organic linework. my favorite rilla projects include sozi as little red cap, a voyage to the valley, and sleep seasons room—what a fantastic place!



i chose the colours of the 2010 studio on fire calendar which i contributed to (alongside other illustrators like brian gunderson, cecilie ellefsen and little friends of printmaking). every year studio on fire letterpress these luscious calendars in wonderful colour combinations that are unlike the palettes i usually pick. because, to be honest, i would be happy to only ever work in one colour—red (or c:0 m:100 y:100 k:10 to be precise).

st. patrick’s day

i awoke to the charming sound of bagpipes this morning. i live in downtown sf, so i get to hear all sorts of shenanigans echoing off the cement that surrounds me. i have SO much to do today, but i plan to make time for a green beer before the day ends.



these colors were inspired by the irish flag, and this bunch of balloons, which i photographed on saturday at the saint patrick’s day parade.

thea schrack

thea schrack is a san francisco photographer and encaustic painter. i wasn’t familiar with encaustic painting prior to viewing her work—the process involves adding colored pigments to hot beezwax, which is then applied to the surface. what i love most about thea’s work is the distinct atmospheric presence—each piece leaves me with a nostalgic, dream-like feeling. some of my favorites include small bird, redwing blackbird 2, magnolia 1, red branches 1, and blue weeds. you can find recent work and inspiration on thea’s blog.



that was really fun, and a surprising color combination for me. i picked colors from forest tapestry, a piece that is on my blog.

allison cole

allison cole is a fantabulous illustrator working her surface-design magic in providence, rhode island. her illustrations are very charming, and the best part is when she gives vegetables a voice. my favorites include veggie poster, what i wore today, feathers, robots, and take us home, which can be purchased on a tote—hooray! for updates, be sure to stop by allison’s blog, and if you’re a comic fan, take a look at her never ending summer.



recently i’m loving nature-inspired colors and really looking forward to spring. i love using shades of the same color and creating texture within the different values.

luke haynes

my grandmother owned a small quilt shop in rural kansas, but the quilts i grew up with are quite different from those sewn by artist, luke haynes. luke’s modern interpretation of the quilting process is refreshingly unique, and i am excited to see how his work evolves. favorite pieces include abraham lincoln, woods, and red leaf (back). for show inquiries, commissions, or to purchase quilts, contact him here!



i chose these colors, because they are the colors that i see. the colors i pick out when i walk into a fabric store and am barraged by the entire palette of color on the walls knocking me over the head.

romain philippon

i find romain philippon’s inconscience incredibly captivating. i love examining the photos for trinkets and other clues to personality and profession, while the owners lie sleeping. i enjoy seeing people through romain’s eyes—everyone is so real, yet hopeful. other favorites include a0003b, a0018, and a0007. romain lives in réunion, an island amidst the indian ocean. for inspiration, check out his blog.



to me these colors mean asia, africa, europe, south america, and reunion island (where i live).

tiffany shih

tiffany shih designed the most fantastic bra packaging i've ever seen. what i wouldn’t give to be an apple. i am also fond of her how to be a texan poster, which you can use to make your own hat—yeehaw! i can’t wait to see what this girl comes up with post-graduation.



my work tends to be obnoxiously bright, bold and loud. i think it’s very reflective of my personality—not to say that i annoy everyone that i come across (although friends and family might say otherwise), but i’m not afraid to be goofy and sing loudly on the streets if i feel the sudden urge to. i’ve also been told by the roommates that they can hear me laughing in my room through the window from a couple of streets away.

…yeah…i’m one of those people.

mike rivamonte

i am very excited to bring you robot sculptor, mike rivamonte. he is an avid science fan who grew up making anything he could get his hands on. his curious mind comes up with some of the most endearing robots i’ve seen. i want to be friends with edison, walt, and ace—complete with led jet pack! be sure to check out mike’s prints too.



my work is greatly influenced by my family. as kids my mom would take us to countless antique stores, curio shops and flea markets. during these ‘field trips’ i marveled over dusty scientific instruments, phonographs and other obscure mechanical devices. i developed a deep appreciation and interest of inventions and history. i picked up the love of making things from my father and uncles. my dad built our first color television set, all kinds of radios and our first computer. he could and would build anything. we constructed many things together. my uncles, one a science teacher the other a carpenter, fueled my inquisitive, experimental nature and appreciation for the finer points of craftsmanship.

cate anevski

cate anevski is a creative extraordinaire that i found on flickr…back in march! for some reason we keep losing each other in the interwebs. i email her, she emails me, i never get it, i email again, she emails me, i bury the email in my box—no more of this—it is time! what i love most about cate’s work is her charming outlook on the world. her unique style is present in every medium she uses. my favorite illustration work includes celtic knot, marie antoinette, and elemental nymphs, which are now available in cate’s etsy shop! i’m also a fan of her eleven-eyed monster and leet embroidery skills. for recent work, updates, and all things worth doing in portland, stop by her blog.



i have recently undergone my first portland, oregon, winter, and the gray weather left me a bit starved for the warm colors of the sun. my latest illustrations reflect this with a bright pink and orange palette.

frank chimero

today i bring you frank chimero, a super-talented illustrator, designer, and writer. frank is full of ideas, and he is pro at concise communication. i love his life and design poster, state illustrations, and monster tee most of all. AND in addition to his extremely entertaining blog, he also co-writes questionable characters with ben barry. go get some answers!

so i’m sitting at a table with a full setting for myself and a few good friends. i’m on a trip in the san juan islands, a couple of small blobs of land poking out of the puget sound thanks to some geographic anomaly. there’s a huge set of windows to my right. if i look out, i have a view of all the other tree-speckled islands, which fade off in a blue atmospheric haze. it’s clear today, and it feels like i can stare out forever. also, this napkin is yellow and orange and purple.

fushimi inari

fushimi inari is one of the first places i think of whenever someone mentions japan. you may recognize the shrine from the movie, memoirs of a geisha. there is a scene where chiyo runs through the toriis after meeting the chairman. i was happy to find it even more stunning in person. endless rows of red-orange toriis winding through the damp, green forest along inari mountain. some of the toriis were seasoned, while others were shiny and new. there were maiko praying for good fortune, bibbed foxes, and the scent of prayer. i’d say the only non-charming thing about the experience were the frequent encounters with large spiders. i wish i could share a photo, but thanks to my arachnophobia i was too freaked out to take one.



halloween shrine.

pontocho

pontocho is a narrow alley known for its geisha houses. i didn’t see any geisha, but i did see lots of restaurants and tourists. i found the area visually charming because of the multitude of lanterns and illuminated signs, window decor, and welcoming spaces. the people were also very friendly, despite the many tourists arguing loudly about where to eat. i was glad to have eaten udon at my favorite noodle place before we arrived.



pretty pontocho.

kamakura

we took a day trip to kamakura to see yabusame, or japanese archery. there is a festival at the hachiman-gu shrine twice a year. it is apparently very popular because all we ended up seeing where the shinto people praying and the grounds as we ran through the forest looking for a better view. i finally lucked out and was roped off by a police officer where i got close enough to capture the archers making their way to their horses—the costumes were elaborate and worth the wait.



yabusame wardrobe.

shinjuku

i received my first dose of sensory overload in the bright and ever-
blinking shinjuku, one of tokyo’s 23 special wards. the fun began at the train station—the busiest in the world—and ended hours later as i drug my drooling husband away from the never-ending rows of pachinko, just one of thousands of games to choose from. it was fun with a bit of dizzy, cute with some scary, and an overall magical first look at the great city of tokyo!



neon night.

asaborake

konnichiwa from japan! it’s taken me quite a while to complete this post as i have been enchanted and distracted by this lovely island nation, but here goes—enjoy!

asaborake is run by two sisters—junko dono, who lives in japan and mari, who lives in orange county. junko dono designs and hand-makes these gorgeous bags out of kimonos and leather, while mari handles all of the important miscellaneous details that arise with a new company. some of my favorite pieces include the pen case, expression bag, and small tote bag. for new items and other interesting commentary, check out asaborake’s blog.



from junko dono:
1—i believe i look the best in this color?! it is a cool color, but also gives me warmth. 2—good to blend this color into my skin color. 3—color of denim / aizome (japanese traditional indigo-dyeing). my basic color. 4—color of the sun. i like to put this color on denim. 5—the color of forest.

from mari:
by the way, i saw your plan to travel to japan. it sounds really exciting! japan is full of colors!!! i like the colors being used in old shrines and temples, and the color of the surrounding nature. i hope you can find very special colors in japan! have a nice trip!